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Housing stock covers statistics on new house building activity, changes in the number of dwellings and the supply of affordable housing as well as statistics on the condition of the housing stock.
This Statistical Bulletin presents further data on affordable housing in Wales.
Starts and completions of affordable housing for England, bringing together those funded by the HCA and those funded by the GLA
This release presents data on affordable housing supply in England. This was previously entitled 'Gross Affordable Housing Supply' and has been renamed to 'Affordable Housing Supply'. This is following an assessment recommendation by the UK Statistics Authority in order to align the naming conventions used across the Publication Hub and the DCLG website. This should help users to find comparable releases over time. The scope and definitions of the statistics have not been changed.
A survey of the design quality, as measured by CABE Building For Life criteria, of affordable housing in England, commissioned by the Homes and Communities Agency.
This Statistical Release presents data on affordable housing in Wales.
Statistics on the number of dwellings that have been certified to the standards set out in the Code Technical Guide, in which local authority area, at which Code level and whether the homes are registered as private or public sector homes. This will also include the average SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) energy efficiency rating of newly constructed dwellings in England and Wales, and the averages for each region and each dwelling type.
Statistics on the number of dwellings that have been certified to the standards set out in the Code Technical Guide, in which local authority area, at which Code level and whether the homes are registered as private or public sector. Statistics on Energy Performance Certificates are based on SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) energy efficiency ratings of dwellings in England and Wales, with breakdown by region and dwelling type.
This Statistical Release presents data on total dwelling stock estimates by type of tenure and local authority.
Gives the number of homes in England, down to district level, and draws on a range of sources to compile the tenure profile of the stock.
Headline findings about living conditions.
The survey collects information about people's housing circumstances and the condition and energy efficiency of housing in England.
This release presents data on affordable housing supply in England. This was previously entitled 'Gross Affordable Housing Supply' and has been renamed to 'Affordable Housing Supply'. This is following an assessment recommendation by the UK Statistics Authority in order to align the naming conventions used across the Publication Hub and the DCLG website. This should help users to find comparable releases over time. The scope and definitions of the statistics have not been changed.
Starts and completions of affordable housing under HCA schemes (excluding London)
Starts and completions of affordable housing under HCA schemes.
House building starts and completions statistics by tenure .
Presents data on dwellings demolished and hazards found.
This Statstical Release presents information on dwelling demolihed or closed in Wales
This Statistical Release has now been replaced by two separate releases titled 'Social Housing Stock, Lettings and Vacancies' and 'Social Housing Rents and Rent Arrears'.
Routine update of housing statistics web tables plus summary of key trends
Routine update of housing statistics web tables and summary of key trends.
Presents the results from the Survey of English Housing.
Information on the housing stock in England.
Compendium of housing and planning statistics covering most aspects of housing and planning in England
Housing data on tenure, owner occupation and the social rented sector; principle source of information about the private sector.
Social Housing Statistics
Statistics on local authority-owned stock and stock management, including housing stock, households on local authority waiting lists, participation in Choice-Based Lettings, local authority lettings, Decent Homes delivery, programme of work on HRA stock, possessions and evictions, anti-social behaviour and injunctions. This replaces the Local Authority Housing Statistics: Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) and Business Plan Statistical Appendix (BPSA).
Provisional estimates of the percentage of non-decent local authority homes ahead of final estimates in the full Business Plan Statistical Appendix (BPSA) 2009-10 statistical release.
Quarterly statistics summarising data recorded on the Energy Performance of Buildings Registers. The Data are lodged on the Registers as part of the process of producing a Energy Performance Certificate or Display Energy Cerificate.
Net additional dwellings.
Net additional dwellings.
This Statistical Release present information on new house building for all tenures and sales of social housing in Wales.
This Statistical Release presents data on houses built by all tenures.
Provides statistics on the number of new dwellings started and completed in Wales.
Statistics on housing compiled by Department for Social Development Housing Division and Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
Information on new house sales and prices, actions for mortgage possessions, and new housing starts.
The 2010 Private Landlord Survey is a national survey of landlords and managing agents who own and/or manage privately rented properties in England. The aim of the survey is to provide a snap-shot of the composition and experience of landlords and how they (together with any agent) acquire, let, manage and maintain privately rented accommodation.
Provides statistics on Private Sector Renewal Activity funded by local authorities in Wales.
Total Right to Buy sales by quarter
Provides statistics on the number of statutory sales of Registered Social Landlord (RSL) dwellings completed in Wales.
Presents summary stock holding figures for all Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) in Wales.
Presents information on the average weekly rents for wholly rented local authority and Registered Social Landlord (RSL) dwellings.
This survey looks at the physical condition of Scotland's homes as well as the experiences of householders.
This Statistical Release show data on social housing rents and rent arrears for Wales.
Total social housing sales in England, including Right to Buy, Right to Acquire & Social HomeBuy.
This Statistical Release presents data on social housing stock and rents.
This Statistical Release show data on social housing stock, lettings and vacancies in Wales.
This Statistical Release presents data on social housing.
This statistical release presents data on the number of dwellings that have been certified to the standards set out in the Code Technical Guide.
These indicators provide an overview of progress toward a sustainable economy, society and environment. Published alongside the headline and supplementary indicators are assessments of change, both short and long term.
Data on vacant Local Authority dwellings.
Data on vacant dwellings.
This Statistical Release presents data on the percentage of social housing meeting the WHQS.
House building statistics show the number of new build starts and completions by tenure.
Dwelling stock statistics show the number of dwellings as at 1 April each year by tenure.
Affordable housing supply statistics show the gross number of affordable homes supplied each year via Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), local authorities and private developers. The statistics give separate totals for social rent, intermediate rent and low cost home ownership dwellings. Statistics are also presented on losses to social housing stock through right to buy, preserved right to buy and right to acquire sales.
Net supply of housing statistics show the flows of dwellings during the financial year broken down by new build homes, changes of use, conversions and demolitions.
The English House Condition Survey (EHCS) is a national random sample survey of housing in England.� It covers all tenures and provides a profile of the housing stock, its condition and energy performance, the people living there, and their views on housing and their neighbourhoods. It was run every five years from 1971 to 2001 and has reported annually since 2003 following its reorganisation to carry out data collection on a continuous basis.�
Technical Data
House building statistics come from two sources on building control:
around half of the new build activity is recorded through quarterly house building returns submitted to Communities and Local Government by local authority building control departments, and
quarterly information from the National House-Building Council (NHBC) on the volume of building control inspections they undertake in each local authority
Dwelling stock figures are 'census based' for those years in which a census was undertaken. In-between census years, the total stock figures are obtained by adding the net supply of housing during the year to the stock at the end of the previous year. Local authority stock is submitted to Communities and Local Government by local authorities on the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix.
Data on Registered Social Landlord (RSL) stock come from the Regulatory Statistical Return submitted to the Housing Corporation by RSLs.� Private rented and owner occupied stock are estimated using the proportion of households reported in each tenure group on the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
There are several data sources on the gross supply of affordable housing, namely:
Investment Management System (IMS) figures from the Housing Corporation�
the Housing Corporation Regulatory and Statistical Return completed by Registered Social Landlords (RSLs)�
COntinuous REcording (CORE) jointly funded by the Housing Corporation and Communities and Local Government and completed by housing associations and local authorities�
the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) submitted to Communities and Local Government by local authorities�
the P2 quarterly house building return submitted to Communities and Local Government by local authorities
Private Finance Initiative Scheme figures
Data on affordable housing sales are submitted to Communities and Local Government by local authorities on the P1B form and by RSLs to the Housing Corporation on the Regulatory Statistical Return and the CORE form.
Data on net housing supply are collected on joint regional assembly and Communities and Local Government returns in six of the nine Government Office Regions (GORs). In the other three regions, the data are collected on the Housing Flows Reconciliation Form submitted by local authorities to Communities and Local Government.
The English House Condition Survey (EHCS) has an achieved sample of� approximately 8,000 cases each year, with reporting based on two-year and overlapping samples (that is, '2006' findings are based on fieldwork carried out from April 2005 to March 2007, and '2007' findings are based on April 2006 to March 2008 fieldwork).
It involves a physical inspection of property by professional surveyors (on which key condition and energy performance measures of the stock are based), a household interview and a market valuation of the property. It provides a wide range of statistics on the condition and energy performance of the housing stock including decent homes and energy efficiency.
Affordable housing
Affordable housing includes social rented and intermediate housing, provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Affordable housing shouldmeet the needs of eligible households including availability at a cost low enough for them to afford, determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices; and include provisions for�the home to be retained for future eligible households; or�if these restrictions are lifted, for any subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.
Decent homes
The definition of a decent home is one that meets all of the following criteria: statutory minimum standard for housing; is in a reasonable state of repair; has reasonably modern facilities and services; provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.�See 'A Decent Home: Definition and guidance for implementation', Communities and Local Government, June 2006.
In recent years (since 2001) a dwelling is defined (in line with the 2001 Census definition) as a self-contained unit of accommodation. Self-containment is where all the rooms (including kitchen, bathroom and toilet) in a household's accommodation are behind a single door which only that household can use. Non-self contained household spaces at the same address should be counted together as a single dwelling. Therefore a dwelling can consist of one self-contained household space or two or more non-self-contained household spaces at the same address. More details on the definition of a dwelling and other housing terms can be found on the Communities and Local Government website.
Energy efficiency
A rating based on energy costs/m2 of floor area for space and water heating, ventilation and lighting, assuming standard occupancy of a dwelling. The rating is expressed on a scale of 1-100 where 1 represents poor energy efficiency (high costs) and 100 represents zero net energy cost per year.���
Gross affordable supply
New affordable housing units (or bed spaces) provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Gross supply of affordable homes includes new build and acquisitions but does not take account of losses to the affordable housing stock through demolitions and sales.
House building
House building statistics collect data on permanent dwellings only that is, dwellings that have a design life of over 60 years. Data are collected on the number of homes started and completed each period.
House building completion
In principle, a dwelling is regarded as completed when it becomes ready for occupation or when a completion certificate is issued, whether it is in fact occupied or not. In practice, there are instances where the timing could be delayed and some completions are missed, for example, as no completion certificate was requested by the owner.
House building start
A house or flat is counted as started on the date work begins on the laying of the foundation but not including site preparation. It is sometimes difficult for data providers to identify whether a dwelling is being built for a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) or for a private developer. This may lead to an understatement of RSL starts and completions recorded in these tables, and a corresponding overstatement of private enterprise figures. The problem is more likely to occur with starts than completions.
Intermediate affordable housing
Intermediate affordable housing is housing at prices and rents above those of social rent but below market price or rents, and which meet the criteria set out above. These can include shared equity (eg HomeBuy) and other low cost homes for sales, and intermediate rent.
Net housing supply
Housing supply is measured in net additional dwellings, which measures the absolute change in the stock between 1 April and 31 March in the following year, taking into account new build dwellings and gains and losses through change of use, conversions and demolitions.
Right to acquire sales
The Right to Acquire scheme was introduced in April 1997 for tenants of Registered Social Landlord homes built after that date, with government grant. The Right to Acquire is a scheme giving eligible tenants of registered social landlords the legal right to buy the home they currently rent.
Right to buy sales
The Right to Buy scheme was introduced under the 1980 Housing Act with effect from October 1980, and gives eligible council tenants the right to buy their property from their council at a discount.
Social housing
Social rented housing is rented housing owned and managed by local authorities and RSLs, for which guideline target rents are determined through the national rent regime. It may also include rented housing owned or managed by other persons and provided under equivalent rental arrangements to the above, as agreed with the local authority or with the Housing Corporation as a condition of grant.
There are up to four tenure categories for dwelling stock, house building and household figures. These are (1) owner-occupied (or private enterprise in the case of house building statistics). This includes accommodation that is owned outright or is being bought with a mortgage; (2) rented privately, defined as all non-owner-occupied property other than that rented from local authorities and RSLs plus that rented from private or public bodies by virtue of employment; (3) rented from Registered Social Landlords (RSL shared ownership and shared equity dwellings are included as owner-occupied in the dwellings in the house building statistics; and (4) rented from Local Authorities.
Contact Details
For statistical enquiries about this topic, please contact:
Communities and Local Government
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 303 44 42345
Communities and Local Government Floor 1/J1 Eland House Bressenden Place Victoria London SW1E 5DU


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SerialPort.ParityReplace Property
.NET Framework 4.5
Gets or sets the byte that replaces invalid bytes in a data stream when a parity error occurs.
Namespace: System.IO.Ports
Assembly: System (in System.dll)
The port is in an invalid state.
- or -
An attempt to set the state of the underlying port failed. For example, the parameters passed from this SerialPort object were invalid.
Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, Windows 7, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core Role not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core Role supported with SP1 or later; Itanium not supported)
The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Also available in big and tall sizes
Was £45.00
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Designer blue straight leg jeans
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These blue twill denim jeans are from our exclusive designer J menswear range by Jasper Conran and give a classic straight leg fit. They have six pockets and a belt looped waist with a button fly front. Also available in big and tall sizes.
- Model height is 185cm/6'1"
- Model waist size is 32"/81cm
- Model is wearing size 32R
- 100% cotton
- Straight fit- Sits on the waist, straight through the legs, straight leg hem
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- This garment has been dyed using authentic dye methods. Due to the nature of the process it is advisable to avoid contact with light coloured materials and upholstery. To help maintain the colour, please follow the care instructions inside the garment.
- Machine washable
Deliveries are between 8am - 6pm, Mon - Sat.
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Debenhams is happy to exchange or refund your purchase within 28 days providing the goods are in a fully resaleable condition (including tags) and not within the exclusion policy*. This policy does not affect your statutory rights. You can return unwanted items either by visiting your local store (the fastest way to get a refund), by arranging a courier collection or returning by post. Exclusions apply to selected products. For instructions on how to return products and information on Debenhams refund policy visit the returns and refunds section of the website.
Why not try


text:
We envision "a Ugandan community that is well informed, knowledgeable, democratic, empowered, wealthier, healthier and responsible for her own development processes."
Toro Development Network (ToroDev) Plot 46 Mugurusi Road
(Behind Stanbic Bank)
P.O Box 161 Fort Portal,
Uganda, East Africa Tel - +256-464-660034
Email - firstname.lastname@example.com
ToroDev's Johnstone Baguma's research paper on the relevance of ICT Convergence to promote citizens'
The Kabarole LCV Chairperson discusses the impact of ToroDev's Use of ICTs to promote public accountability
January 13th, 2014Development Research & Training (DRT) organised a Public Policy Analysis training
August 20th, 2013: ToroDev's collaboration with broadcast media houses in Rwenzori region yields fruits
View related posts
Innovation & Entrepreneurship are key to accelerating social-economic development. However, attainment
ToroDev understands ICT as a tool to accelerate sustainable community development, in its broadest
FM radios are the most accessed mode of communication in Uganda, thanks to the liberalisation of the
ToroDev engages the civil society, local and central governments in Uganda to promote ICT access,
Toro Development Network (ToroDev) in partnership with the local communities organized knowledge sharing
ToroDev has been highly involved in mentoring and supporting the initiation of the newly formed advocacy
Discussion on the Role of Broadcast Media in Rural Entrepreneurship Development in the Rwenzori Region,
ToroDev participated in the International Conference on e-Democracy and Open Government 2013. The event
ToroDev's work on e-participation/Democratic Engagement in the Rwenzori region published in SPIDER Stories
ICT4Democracy in East Africa Workshop Proceedings Eighteen months since the ICT4Democracy In East Africa
By Solomon Akugizibwe, Sheila Amanya & Racheal Kogere Abstract of the Report ToroDev has been highly
2014 Copyright Toro Development Network. All Rights Reserved.


text:
July 25, 2013, 6:27 PM — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Thursday switched on two new supercomputers that are expected to improve weather forecasting.
The "go live" switch over to the new systems was made today without any fanfare, just a box of donuts on hand to mark 18 months of preparation and testing. The new IBM systems are now responsible for producing forecast data that's relied on in the U.S. and around the world.
The agency had planned to go live next Tuesday, but strong storms now in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans prompted the decision to move the date up, said Ben Kyger, director of central operations at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction.
NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) runs the two identical, or clone systems, one in Reston, Va., and in Orlando, Fla. They can switch over in about six minutes.
The supercomputers are each 213 teraflop systems, running a Linux operating system on Intel processors. The U.S. is paying about $20 million a year to operate the leased systems.
"These are the systems that are the origin of all the weather forecast you see," said Kyger. The computing system is called the Weather and Climate Operational Supercomputing System or WCOSS.
The two previously used four-year-old IBM supercomputers, also identical, run IBM's AIX operating system and Power 6 chips, and are each capable of 74 teraflops. The upgrade will continue to improve weather forecasting over time.
It's been a complicated process to get to this point. The NWS has had to ensure that the software running on the new system is producing scientifically correct results. It had been running the old and new systems in parallel for months, and comparing the output.
This comparative testing involved examining output data to determine whether it is numerically reproducible out to five decimal places. There is also a statistical analysis of weather predictions on the new system against the actual weather conditions.
The process wasn't just an examination of numerical data. NWS scientists also studied the weather products and examined them for subtle differences. "There is a lot of human, highly experienced, subjective evaluation," said Kyger.
There are computational differences involved in switching to new chips and a new operating system. They are subtle, and appear in decimal places six through 12.
As you go further out in a forecast, the differences compound.
The changes may appear in the fifth day of an extended, five-day forecast as a difference of one degree.


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After years of silence, Justin Timberlake is back in the charts, but TV fans are even happier that he's back on Saturday Night Live this weekend.
The multi-talented entertainer is one of the show's best-loved hosts, which is why this weekend will mark the fifth time he's been invited to do the honors. That means he'll join SNL's legendary "Five-Timers Club" -- people who've hosted at least five times -- whose members include Steve Martin , Christopher Walken , Tom Hanks and Alec Baldwin .
Unusually for a singer, Justin has actually hosted SNL twice without even being the musical guest. This will mark the third time he's done double duty. It's his sixth official SNL appearance overall, by the way -- in 2000, he was the musical guest as part of 'N SYNC , and the group appeared in a few sketches. He's also made a number of cameos on the show, even when he wasn't hosting or performing.
Justin's involvement with Saturday Night Live is so serious that he's admitted that he has even considered becoming a cast member, at least for one season. He's been well-rewarded for his contributions to the show, winning four Emmys in total. Two were for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, and two were for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics. One of those was for his musical monologue in 2011, while the other was for the now legendary " D**k in a Box ."
So what can we expect to see from JT this time around? Well, there's good news: Yahoo's omg! reports that he and Andy Samberg will reprise their '90s R&B singer characters from "D**k in a Box" in yet another digital short. They also appeared in " Motherlover " and "3-Way (The Golden Rule)" as you may recall.
Another recurring JT sketch you may see on Saturday night is the one where he puts on a costume and entices passersby to " bring it on down to " a certain location, from "Homelessville" to "Liquorville" to "Plasticville." But one sketch that probably won't return is The Barry Gibb Talk Show , mostly because the character that Justin plays -- singer Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees -- died last year.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio


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Categories > Celebrities > Panic! At The Disco > Someone to Die For
Chapter 28: You know, We don't have to prove it. It was Never about that.1 Reviews
He, he. I got the chapter title from my favorite song. Ryan talks with Brendon.
Lilee & Jared were back on normal terms again, talking to each other everday. Ryan & Kara being as close as possible and Spencer with him 'main squeeze.' Life felt as if it couldn't get any better.
Lilee's stomach was another BIG change. Her stomach was getting bigger and bigger each day. Brendon was ecstatic about it too.
"6 months." Brendon said, kissing Lilee on the neck.
"I know, can you believe there are only 3 more months?" Lilee asked, patting her tummy.
Brendon smiled, he got closer to Lilee's stomach. "Yeah, Only 3 more months until we finally get to meet you!" He kissed it.
Lilee chuckled. "I can already tell you're gonna be a great dad."
"Thanks, mom."
"Ryan?" Asked Jon. "Are...you okay?"
Ryan, who was laying on the couch with a magezene over his head, sighed.
He removed the magezene from his face. "What?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine. Do you know where Brendon is?"
"One sec." Jon ran off to find him.
"He's gonna think I'm such an ass." Ryan said to himself.
Brendon walked into the room and sat down. "What's up?"
"Pregnancy" He waited a few seconds. "Is up."
Brendon cocked an eyebrow. "What?"
"You know how this was supposed to be a secret? You and Lilee?"
Brendon nodded.
"Well, apparently not because it was on MTV news this morning."
"You're kidding."
"No Brendon, I'm not." Ryan sat up. "Pete told me it's been playing all week."
"So...you're saying half the nation knows?"
"Oh shit...how?"
Ryan shrugged. "Pictures caught of you two, videos..." He took the magezene that was on his head and flipped to a certain page. He pointed to it. "They already know you two are dating, now they know it's more."
Brendon took the magezene from Ryan and observed it: It was a picture of them.
"FUCK! How in the fucking hell could they have gotten this?"
"I guess when we were attacked by fans that day and Spencer shoved you guys out."
Brendon ran his fingers threw his hair. "That...can't be good."
"The thing I'm most concerned about is the fucking publicity though. Publicity. What they're gonna think about you, 21 year old Brendon getting 18 year old Lilee, pregnant."
"Ryan, honestly they shouldn't care about our personal li-"
"Hey guys."
"Spencer, get the HELL OUT OF HERE! "
Spencer's eyes widened and he walked out without saying a word.
"You were saying?"
"They shouldn't fucking care about or personal lives!"
"Well, they're human and they do!"
"Ryan, just calm down! Don't make a fricken big deal out of this!"
"I have the right because you're putting our career in the gutter!"
Jon and Spencer stormed into the room and seperated them.
"What the hell was that about?" Spencer asked Ryan.
Ryan shook his head. "I-I just got angry I guess."
Spencer gave a serious laugh. "That wasn't angry, you were practicly at his throat."
Ryan continued to be silent.
"You can't get angry because of this. Who cares if everyone knows? He's your friend and instead of being angry at him, you should be happy for him."
Ryan shook his head. "I know, just-"
"No. Just nothing. That was fucking pointless of you to do. Now you're just making him feel bad about the whole thing, and eventually he's going to tell Lilee and she's in no condition for this."
Ryan sighed, still being silent.
"I'm not trying to make you feel even worse about this situation but, it was just...wrong." Spencer said, exiting the room.
'What am I going to do?'
The next few days were awkward. Brendon continued to ignore Ryan, even on stage. This was just making things worse. Tabloids about Panic! breaking up were starting, getting either a new singer or guitarest and things just weren't right.
Lilee and Kara wondered what was going on but neither of the boys mentioned it. They had to do something about it.
So that night she did. Just as they were going to bed she mentioned it. "Brendon?" Lilee asked, facing Brendon.
He turned around. "Yeah?"
"What's going on with you and Ryan?"
Brendon sighed. "Nothing."
"Why aren't you two talking then?"
"Because we aren't good night."
"I'm not gonna leave you alone until you tell me..."
"Then annoy me, I wont care."
She glared at him. "I can't stand to see you guys like this! You're best friends."
"Fine, it has something to do with me and you."
"There we go."
"And the baby."
Sorry it took me so long to upload a new chapter. Byeas!


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"The Encounter" is a work of fiction!
Lek lay on the hot sand under a thatched beach sunshade, his brown eyes half closed against the glare of the afternoon sun, and slightly propped up by his arms which he had folded under his head. He occasionally opened his eyes a little wider to look around the almost deserted beach, his glances unseen through his sunglasses.
After some time dozing quietly, Lek noticed a figure walking slowly along the water's edge and could see immediately that it was a Farang, his hair still damp from a recent swim. Lek watched idly as the foreigner walked slowly towards the beach shades where he lay. The stranger dropped onto a towel a few meters to Lek's left and pulled off his white T-shirt, revealing a lightly matted, firm chest and a loose pair of blue shorts. The man must have been about 35 and quite ordinary looking, but he seemed to be in good shape.
After a few minutes, Lek lost interest and slipped back into the half doze he'd been in before the farang had arrived. He drifted away, until he felt the heat of the sun lessen and a breeze from the gently rolling ocean told him it was almost time to go. He opened his eyes just in time to see the farang look quickly away. The man had been watching him while he'd been sleeping! He sat up and stretched leisurely, letting the breeze caress his slim figure. He glanced again and saw that the farang was still looking at him, but this time he did not avert his gaze. Lek smiled at the man, as he smiled at everyone, and his smile was returned.
Lek stood up and began to put his few things into his bag, and adjusted his swim suit, which had allowed sand to irritate slightly around his thigh. He pulled on his shirt and as he did so the farang got up and came across to him. "Hello, do you speak English?"
"Yes," replied Lek, glancing into the man's eyes and being taken aback by their brilliant blue colour.
"Can you give me a light, please?" asked the man, holding cigarette to his lips.
Lek rummaged in his bag and produced a lighter.
"Thanks, what's your name?"
"Lek," Lek replied, looking him over discretely. He'd never met a farang before and had heard conflicting stories about them, but this one seemed to be polite and was reasonable looking.
"Hi, my name's Mike, I'm from England. Do you live here?"
"Hello Mike. No, I'm here on vacation, like you I think."
"Yes, that's right. Look, can I get you a drink or something? It's quite hot."
"Thank you, but I'm just going back to my aunt's house, my family expect me now for a meal."
"Oh." Mike looked quite disappointed. He hesitated for a moment and then said, "Well, could I meet you tomorrow? Maybe you can show me around."
Lek considered quickly; he had no plans and it might be interesting to find out more about this foreigner. He looked up into those sharp, blue eyes.
"Yes, that is nice. Do you stay in a hotel?"
Mike smiled, "Yes, I'm at the Ocean, do you know it?" Lek nodded.
"Why don't we meet there at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning?"
"That would be nice," said Lek. "But now I have to go. Goodbye." And with that he threw his bag over his shoulder and walked off up the sandy track. He wanted to look back but he was sure that the farang would be watching him. He walked to the end of the track to the parking lot and climbed into his car, thinking about the blue eyed stranger.
The next morning, Lek arrived at the Ocean Hotel dressed in a blue silk shirt and dark pants, and took a seat in the foyer. The hotel was a typical tourist hotel catering mainly to westerners. Within a few minutes Mike appeared. Lek smiled broadly at him, showing his brilliant white teeth.
"Good morning," Mike said, "I'm glad you came."
Lek smiled again, "Where would you like to go?"
"I don't know how much time you have, but I've heard about a place called Nation's Park – have you been there?"
"No," replied Lek, "but I know where it is. It is about one hour by car."
"OK, I'll get a taxi," said Mike, getting up to go to the reception desk. Lek jumped up a touched him lightly on the arm, saying "No, please I have a car, we can go in that." Mike seemed surprised for a moment, then smiled cheerfully.
"Oh, well, fine. Are you sure you don't mind?"
Lek just smiled again and lead Mike out of the hotel to where his car stood waiting. As Lek opened the door he said, "And it has air conditioning, so you won't be too hot."
They got in, and drove out into the heat and surging traffic.
They exchanged small talk as they made their way slowly through the busy streets towards the outskirts of the town, finally coming to a straight but dusty road running alongside a palm lined canal. Mike commented how about how peaceful and pretty it all was after the hustle of the town, and Lek nodded in agreement. He felt pleased that that they seemed to be getting along easily, and the Englishman made him feel relaxed. As they drove, he tried to explain to Mike about some of the things they passed on the side of the road, and a little about his country's history. Mike listened, and asked a few questions. Lek noticed that most of them were about him, but he didn't mind too much.
Eventually they arrived at their destination, Nation's Park, which spread over several square kilometers of jungle and contained reproductions of some of the country's finest temples and historical monuments. When they arrived, the park was deserted as the road leading to it was of poor quality, and on a weekday few people made the effort to get to it.
Lek drove slowly along the rough road into the park. "Take some photographs if you want to, he told Mike. "We can stop any place." A short way inside the park, they came to a re-created traditional village. They parked and Lek led the way into the main street which, although perfectly reproduced, was totally deserted. Mike look along the street and said, "It's the most beautiful place, and so peaceful; why don't you stand there in front of that house and I'll take some pictures." Lek obliged him and dutifully posed where Mike asked, and it seemed that the man was taking more pictures of him than of the scenery. They walked slowly around the village for a while until Lek said, "Mike, we should go on, there is so much more to look at, even in one day."
They drove further on, stopping to look at ancient houses and temples that appeared through the undergrowth at every corner. They made small talk, commenting about some of the sights, until they came upon a huge temple ruin, approached by a long flight of stone steps leading up through the jungle to the remains of a fabulous building high above the trees. At the foot of the ruin was a small refreshment stand selling cold drinks. They sat down facing each other, and ordered a cold lemon drink each. Lek realized that Mike was looking directly at him with those blue eyes again. Mike smiled broadly as he took a swig from his drink without taking his eyes off Lek's. The meaning seemed quite plain; Lek took a drink too but looked away. He found Mike quite attractive but did not know how to react to this open behaviour. They finished their drinks and began to slowly climb the steps. Lek felt quite warm but he could see that Mike was beginning to sweat; the farang was not used to the heat.
Lek slowly undid his shirt, and then decided to take it off in the hope of catching some of the breeze filtering through the trees as they climbed. He noticed that Mike was looking at his body and smiled inwardly. He knew that he had a good physique and was happy to show it off. Mike kept shooting glances at him, running his eyes over his smooth, youthful chest. Halfway up the stone stairway, they came to a small side temple and stopped to admire the carvings, and to take a short rest. They sat together for a while in silence, listening to the jungle noises.
"Aren't you afraid of getting bitten?' Mike's question bought Lek back to the present.
"The mosquitos usually come out in the evening, and I've never been bitten much anyway."
Mike wiped the perspiration off his face, and asked, "You have a good body, how do you keep it like that?"
Lek smiled and quipped, "Climbing temples!" and they both laughed.
They stood up and continued their slow ascent up the long stairway until at last they arrived at the main temple building at the top of the hill. It was above the trees and a viewing platform gave a breath taking view across the countryside for many kilometers, with the town just visible away in the far distance. They explored the ruins for a while, then sat down on the wooden platform and admired the view. Lek was gazing into the distance when he suddenly realized that Mike had just kissed him on the lips. He looked around in surprise.
"I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind."
Lek looked at him for a moment, weighing him up; then he smiled and said softly,"I don't mind, Mike, it was just unexpected."
The man looked relieved and said, "Well, what if it's not so unexpected?" and moved closer to him. Lek leaned against him and their lips brushed once again. Lek felt Mike's arm on his back as they kissed more firmly. Lek liked the smell and taste of the man and relaxed, putting his arms around Mike's neck. He felt the soft touch of hands exploring his back as they embraced.
Lek gently disentangled himself and smiled at Mike so as not to offend him, but it was after all a public place. Mike looked at him and said, "You know, I find you very attractive. I'd like to spend more time with you after today."
Lek shaded his eyes to look up at Mike. "I'd like that. I'm on holiday for a short time."
He felt happy to know that this pleasant farang was interested in him, and he was now certainly interested in Mike too. The rest of the day passed delightfully, with Lek receiving many a gentle kiss on neck and lips as they continued their tour of the park, eventually driving back to Mike's hotel in the early evening. Lek politely refused an offer of dinner, saying, truthfully, that his family were expecting him to eat with them, but he agreed to meet Mike later and show him some of the night life.
At the appointed time, Lek arrived at the hotel foyer to find Mike already waiting for him. They walked together, chatting about their respective meals, and as they walked Mike asked Lek where they were going.
"The clubs are all near here, only a few minutes to walk. What kind of place do you want to go to?"
"I don't know, we hear a lot in Europe about what goes on, but I don't know where any of the places are."
Lek smiled; he knew exactly what kind of place Mike want to see. They walked for a few minutes until they turned off the main road into a narrow street crowded with people, and suddenly there were dozens of neon lit frontages offering all kinds of exotic thrills, with pretty young girls, or handsome young men, standing outside each one attempting to lure the passers-by inside.
"Come on, Mike, we go in here." He led Mike into a dark doorway, up a narrow flight of stairs and through a door at the top. They entered a large, dimly lit room with a small stage at the far end, to the right a small bar had a cluster of young men in shorts sitting around it, and a large crowd was seated facing the stage. Loud pop music played while colored lights flashed across the stage, and young waiters dressed only in g-strings and bow ties served drinks to the waiting audience. Lek watched Mike's face with amusement – he couldn't believe what he was seeing, and was pretending not to look at the very cute, and near naked, waiters.
Lek led the way to the last remaining seats facing the stage and they sat down.
"Mike, relax. You can look at everything, that's why we are here!"
Mike smiled sheepishly, but relaxed and began to look around properly. Lek touched his arm.
"There's more to come."
"Like what?"
Lek laughed, "Just wait!"
After a short wait, the MC came on stage to a fanfare of music and made a witty announcement, which Lek translated as best he could. Then a bevy of dancing girls appeared and began a very passable show routine. Lek grinned at Mike's bemused expression, then said, "You know that these girls are really boys, don't you?"
Mike shook his head, and looked back at the stage with added interest. "They don't look like it," he said.
Lek squeezed his arm, "You'll see."
As the dance routine progressed, one of the 'girls' came to the front of the stage and, still singing, began to strip very slowly and erotically. Lek watched Mike's face as the last piece of clothing fell away and the performer's true sex was revealed amid ribald laughter from the audience.
Lek watched Mike during the performances; he could see clearly that the evening had proved to be an eye-opener. As the shows ended, Lek asked Mike wanted he would like to do next. He had deliberately asked to see what Mike would say.
"I think I'm quite tired now," Mike said. "Perhaps we should go back."
Lek led the way out, and even though it was after 1am it was still very warm, the streets were filled with vendors busy selling food, clothes, souvenirs, and all kinds of things. They strolled slowly through the crowds looking at the various offerings, and Lek bought a small snack but Mike declined when Lek offered him some.
As they arrived back at the hotel, Mike asked Lek if he would like to have some coffee with him. Lek took a chance, "Why don't you show me your room and we can have our coffee there." Mike seemed quite happy with this suggestion as he collected his key. They stood in silence as the lift took them up. Lek had already decided how he wanted the evening to end, but was still not sure if Mike wanted things the same way. As they entered Mike's room, Lek could see that the man was very tidy as nothing was out of place. As Mike rang for room service, Lek on the table light and turned off the overhead light. "It's too bright, late at night," he explained, as Mike smiled at him. They talked a little about Mike's trip and his work in England until the coffee arrived.
Once the waiter had left and a few minutes had passed, Lek plucked up his courage and put his arms around Mike.
"This is for being a nice guy." He kissed Mike full and hard. Mike responded eagerly and ran his hands over Lek's back. Lek felt the man getting hard, which in turn made him do the same. Within a few minutes they were naked, locked in a passionate embrace on the king-size bed. Lek began to explore every inch of Mike's body. He was turned on even more now that he could see the hair on the firm chest and well muscled arms. His mouth and tongue found every part of the pale body until Mike could no longer control himself. He pushed Lek down onto the bed and he, in turn, explored the young man's smooth brown body.
Lek awoke to feel Mike's arm across his chest, the white hairy arm contrasting vividly with his own dark and smooth skin. He lay quietly watching the early morning sun creep slowly across the hotel bedroom, highlighting the clothes that had been hastily scattered as their night lust had mounted. Lek savoured the memory of the sex they had enjoyed; Mike was the first farang he had been with and it had been a good experience, so far.
He carefully slid from Mike's embrace and gathered up his clothes. After a long shower, he scribbled a few lines of hotel notepaper, worrying that his English wouldn't be good enough. He wrote to tell Mike that he had to go back to his job in the capital today, and left his office phone number in the hope that he might get a call. He let himself out quietly and went downstairs to the reception desk where he ordered breakfast and flowers for Mike.
As he drove away from the hotel back to where his family would be waiting, he couldn't help thinking about his brief time with Mike, but he knew the chances were small of seeing him again, and he knew nothing of the man's plans. For a few kilometers he drove in a mild daze, until he reached his aunt's house. The family were all at breakfast and as he joined them his mother gently scolded him for not letting them know where he was.
After breakfast, he helped to load his and his father's car with the vacation bags, and eventually moved off for the two hour drive to the capital. Lek went alone as he had to go direct to his office by 8.30am, and he didn't like being late. He drove effortlessly, but at speed, along the three land highway, musing about the prospects of seeing his farang again.
He arrived in the city without incident and weaved his way through the dense traffic to his office. He worked for a tour company based in one of the big luxury hotels, where he welcomed foreign visitors, arranged sightseeing tours, airline tickets, pills for upset stomachs, and generally catered to their every whim, or almost. While he was always polite, he found most of these foreigners to be boring and generally ignorant, but occasionally someone came along who was more interesting, and he had even managed to become a penpal for a couple of these former customers. He was fascinated by western culture and longed to have the chance to visit a western country.
The next few days were routine and uneventful, as the usual mixture of tourists' complaints and staff problems kept him busy, and his thoughts of Mike gradually receded, until on the Friday afternoon he was talking on the phone to a tour bus driver up-country who had broken down. The office door opened and a farang came in, Lek waved him to a seat without really looking at him.
After a moment, he looked up, intending to indicate that he would not be long; his heart jumped as he saw Mike sitting there looking straight into his eyes, just as he had done on that first day. They exchanged smiles, and Lek waited impatiently as the bus driver laboriously explained his problems in fine detail. Lek made a few notes as he listened, smiling at Mike as he did so. Eventually, the unfortunate bus driver ran out of words and Lek was able to hang up.
"Mike! How are you? It's so nice to see you."
"HI Lek. I'm fine, and you?"
"Oh, Mike, I'm very well. What are you doing here? It's such a surprise."
"I'm staying here in the hotel. I's part of my vacation booking. I have a week here before I go home. I was looking around the hotel and I was in the shop next to your office when I saw you through the window. I rang your number a few times but couldn't get through. Now I've found you I feel much happier."
"Mike, I'm very happy to see you. Can I see you tonight? I have a lot of work to do, and I have to see my sister in the evening, but I'd like to meet you after that."
"I'd love to. What time?'
"About nine thirty. I'll meet you at reception."
As Mike left, Lek felt elated; he was really beginning to like the farang a lot, but was disappointed that they would only have a week more together. He tried not to think about that, only to anticipate the few coming days and the time they would spend together.
As the day wore on, he became absorbed in his work, with no time to think of other things, until eventually he was able to lock up the office for the day. As he made his way to the hotel parking lot, he began to anticipate the evenings events. As he drove across the city he allowed the surging traffic to to carry him along to the city hospital where his sister worked. He drove into the compound and managed to find a place to park between two ambulance, one of which seemed to have hastily abandoned, it's rear doors hanging open. He made his way up to the third floor where his sister, a charge nurse, worked. He spent a few minutes talking to her and took a bag of food from her for their mother. He said 'goodbye' and left.
He arrived home about 40 minutes later, pulling into the front drive of the house where he lived with his father, mother and two sisters. The dogs ran barking a welcome as he let himself in. No-one was home, so he left the food in the kitchen, then went upstairs to his room and ran the shower in the bathroom. He stripped off his sticky clothes, stepped under the spray and began to lather himself with perfumed soap. He stood and stretched himself in enjoyment as he washed. He soaped his firm chest, then his slim, flat stomach, and between his legs. He thought about Mike and began to get hard; he played with himself gently for a while, lost in thought. Then he briskly showered off the soap and stepped out, looking for the towel hanging behind the door. He felt excited now, wanting to bed Mike as soon as he saw him, but he knew he would have to wait if Mike wanted to go out somewhere. He tried to think about something else as he dried himself and got dressed. He scribbled a note to his mother to let her know he would be out very late.
As he came down the stairs from the hotel parking lot, he could see Mike sitting in the reception lounge waiting for him. Although the hotel was busy with people milling around, he walked silently up behind Mike and covered the man's eyes with his hands. Mike jumped slightly, then pulled the hands away and looked around. He broke into a wide smile and said softly, "Hello sexy."
Lek smiled back. "Do you really think so?"
"On yes, certainly," Mike confirmed. "Where would you like to go? Have you had dinner yet?"
"No, I didn't have time. And you?"
"No. I was hoping we could eat together somewhere nice. Can you suggest something?"
"You want to eat inside or outside?"
"Let's try outside. Do you know a good place?"
"Yes. Come on, I know a place you will like."
As they entered the parking lot, Lek saw Mike looking quickly around, and then felt himself being grabbed as Mike kissed him hard and passionately. He eagerly responded, enjoying the feel of the foreigner's body. A car squealing up the ramp caused them to jump apart suddenly, and they both burst out laughing, the sound echoing around the concrete walls. As they got into the car, Lek turned up the air conditioning, remembering that Mike found the heat uncomfortable.
Lek listened to Mike as he chattered, trying to make sure he understood every word as Mike asked him the kind of questions westerners always asked. After a drive of about an hour, through the nose-to-tail evening traffic, they emerged into the city's outskirts along a broad boulevard lined with restaurants and houses, so generously spaced out that they looked as if they were relaxing under the night skies. Lek turned into a parking lot at the edge of the road and stopped. Several car jockeys vied for the right to park the car, and he handed his keys to the best looking boy he could see, and then they were escorted by another young guy to the side of a small lake, where a boat was waiting. They climbed in and Lek sat closely beside Mike, feeling the heat of his body against him. When the boat was full, the oarsman at the back began to weave towards an island about 200 meters away, where traditional houses had been linked together, with seats inside and out, to create a restaurant. Music drifted across the water as the boat rocked gently towards the island, and Lek felt himself being carried away in a mood of romanticism as he pressed against Mike in the dark.
They arrived at a small jetty and clambered off the boat; the restaurant seemed to be very busy but there were still a few tables free, so Lek led Mike to one in a quieter spot away from the main crowds. Mike was just about the only westerner there and he attracted a few glances from curious diners, unaccustomed to a white face in such an out-of-the-way place. They settled themselves at the table as attentive waiters lit the candles and presented the menu; they picked a selection of dishes, with Lek trying to find dishes that would not be too spicy, as the chef here made no concessions to western tastes.
They ate slowly with just a little conversation as the air of romance and relaxation overcame them both. Lek moved his chair closer to Mike and their knees rubbed; Lek had no awareness of anything other than Mike and his strong blue eyes. He hardly noticed what he was eating and could only see those eyes. He was ecstatic and wished for the moment to last forever. They talked softly and held hands under the discrete veil of the tablecloth, while waiters sensed their mood and left them alone in the dreamy world inhabited only by themselves.
All too soon, the meal ended and they had to leave, softening the deep mood, but still Lek felt dreamy hearted as the boat slowly moved back towards the jetty where the car jockeys waited. As they reached the jetty and stood to disembark, Lek pretended to stumble and fell against Mike, holding onto him as long as he dared. They stepped off the boat and found the car waiting with the engine running. Mike handed the attractive boy a generous tip and they pulled out into the night. Lek felt Mike's hand on his thigh as he asked, "What would you like to do now?"
"Bed," came the answer, "with you."
The mood persisted as they headed back to the hotel, and once they were safely in the room, Lek could not hold back any longer. He threw his arms around Mike and they kissed passionately as Lek began to pull off the man's clothes as fast as he could, his tongue finding each inch of flesh as it was exposed. He hardly noticed tearing off his own clothes but very soon they were both naked, with Mike flat on his back as Lek lay across him, tickling his nipples with the end of his darting tongue. For hours, they caressed and kissed each other, and as they did so Lek knew his passion was mixed with love for his gentle farang. He felt as if he was flying above the clouds with Mike, away from the world. Eventually they made love; with passionate violence, and with gentle compassion. It went on seemingly endlessly until finally, as the dawn began to show across the city, they exploded together in an orgasm the like of which Lek had never experienced. His mind was a whirl of rushing colors and noises, that swept across his whole body, and left him suddenly sweaty and exhausted. He could feel himself shaking as they lay together and waited, unspeaking, for sleep to claim them. Lek drifted away, holding onto his man.
He entered a new realm where became a kind of angel walking across soft multi-colored fields. There were other people about, but they seemed to be only undefined shapes that he caught glimpses of out of the corner of his eye. He was walking towards a glorious golden temple; the movement seemed effortless, as if he was on the Moon, but although the temple came nearer as he progressed, it never seemed to get as close as it should. He speeded up, he had to reach the temple because inside he knew he would find what he had been looking for, the one thing that he needed to go on living. He didn't know exactly what he was looking for but would know when it saw it. He began to run now, the ground just a blur under his feet as he sped along, the initial euphoria replaced by a slight anxiety as the temple still did not get any closer. He could feel his chest ache as he increased his speed and then, suddenly, he was there, the brilliant golden doors glistening in the sunlight and stretching high into the sky above him. He pushed at one of the doors, which slowly, but very slowly, opened inwards, the weight pushing back at him as if reluctant to let him enter. He forced an opening wide enough to squeeze through and came into a golden room, the ceiling so high it was lost in the wispy clouds. Across the room rose a high curtain of shimmering colors, behind which Lek knew he would find what he had been searching for. The feeling of euphoria began to rise again as he approached the heavy material, that moved as if alive in the still room. He reached out to touch it and, as he did so, felt a shock of energy that found his very bones. The curtain vanished; before him stood a mighty god, clothed in gold and silk. As he watched in awe, he saw the hazy face gradually take form. It was Mike's face, but with an indefinable difference. His heart lifted, "Mike!" he cried, reaching out, but as he did so the god-Mike looked down at him and a thunderbolt shot from his eyes driving itself deep into Lek's body.
He awoke with a jerk, feeling fluid on his abdomen. He saw the real Mike lying close, watching him with a smile, and realized that the man had bought him to an orgasm whilst he had been asleep. The dream disturbed him a little, but he shrugged it off as he thought with pleasure how he had been woken. He kissed Mike gently on the lips and got up to take a shower.
When he came out of the shower he realized that it was midday already, and that he should have been at work. He called his office, telling them he'd been feeling unwell but would be in soon. Mike was still dozing in bed as he dressed. Lek shook him gently, saying, "Mike, I have to go to work now. Please wait for me at seven when I finish."
Mike smiled at him, "OK, I'll see you in the coffee shop later."
They kissed, and Lek slipped out, trying to avoid any of the hotel staff who knew him, and he managed to get to his office without being spotted. The day passed in a haze, and his colleagues took the strange mood as a sign of his feigned illness and said nothing.
When seven o'clock came, he waited for the other staff to leave, then locked up and made his way to the coffee shop where Mike was waiting. Each time he saw him now, his heart soared as if given fresh life. As he sat down, Mike took his hand and squeezed it. "Lek, I've been thinking a lot about us; we've got to know each other well, and I think we feel the same way about each other." Lek smiled into his eyes and wondered what was coming next.
"You know that I have to go back to England quite soon, but I don't want us to forget things when I go."
Lek looked down, not wanting to think about the future, even though it was very close. "I won't forget you Mike."
"I know. But we can do better than that; how would you like to come and live with me in London?"
Lek could hardly believe his ears, he began to say something, stammering in surprise, not really knowing what to say. Mike stopped him.
"Don't think about it now. It's a big step to take to go to a foreign country. I want you to think about it for a while and let me know how you feel."
Lek was stunned. Much as he felt he loved Mike, he had not expected an invitation to live with him in his country. His head was spinning with so many thoughts about what to do, or how it could be done. He sat silently sipping at his coffee.
"Are you all right?" Mike asked.
Lek nodded, confused. He smiled and said, "Mike, you are kind to me. I have to think about what you have said, about what my family will say, so many things….."
Mike touched his arm gently. "Don't be upset. Just take some to think about it. I'd like you to see my home and my country, and I hope we can share our lives together. I know it would be a big thing for you, so think about it carefully. If you say 'no', I'll understand." They drank their coffee in silence as they both considered what had been said. Finally, Mike touched Lek on the arm and said, "Let's have dinner."
"I know a nice place," remarked Lek.
"Come on then, sexy, lead the way."
They walked slowly up to the parking lot which was busy with people coming and going; they climbed into the car and once again drove slowly down the ramp into the hot evening air. The traffic, as usual, was snarled into an almost continuous line of seething metal, crawling along at a snail's pace, with small vehicles suddenly darting out of small side turnings, and trucks groaning under the enormous loads they carried. Despite the fumes and the noise, everyone was used to it, and competition for each inch of space was fairly good natured. Lek was lost in thought as he drove and hardly noticed what was going on around him. He couldn't stop thinking about what Mike had said to him, and how he could arrange to go to England, what his parent's would say, what Mike's home would be like, what England would be like; he felt dizzy thinking about it and was glad when they got to their destination and he could relax again.
They went into a small, intimate restaurant on the second floor of a shopping mall and found a quiet table in the corner. Lek's evening passed before it knew it, being so lost in thought. He suddenly realized that they had finished their meal and he had hardly spoken to Mike.
"Oh Mike, I'm so sorry, I'm thinking about everything. I didn't mean to ignore you."
"I know, don't worry. I've filled you head with all this, I understand."
They drove back to the hotel; this time Lek made an effort to chat with Mike and it brought him back to earth a little. When they arrived, Mike asked Lek if he would like a coffee.
"Mike, I don't want coffee, I want to make love with you."
"I think that's what I meant," said Mike. "Let's go up."
They went up to the room and were quickly in bed. They made love urgently but gently in the darkness with only the rustling of the sheets and their heavy breathing betraying their presence. Afterwards, as they lay in each others arms, Lek felt that he had found someone to take care of him and to protect him. He had made his decision and it only remained to sort out the logistics of how to achieve it.
Over the next few days, Lek spent as much time as he could with Mike, knowing that once Mike left, it would be a long time before they would see each other again. As the fateful day approached, Lek felt his heart aching at the thought of being parted from his lover, who had been so strong, and so kind to him. Inevitably, the day dawned; Lek had spent their last night with Mike in the hotel, and helped him to pack his bags in the morning. He checked the room thoroughly to make sure Mike did not leave anything behind.
They went down to the coffee shop to have a last breakfast together, and chatted about inconsequential matters, neither of them really knowing what to say. Lek took a note of Mike's email address and phone numbers and had memorized them almost as soon as he had read them. They sent a bell boy up to the room to get Mike's bags while Lek collected his car and drove it around to the front of the hotel, where the bags were loaded into the trunk.
Mike appeared with a huge bunch of red roses and presented them to Lek, who was embarrassed but delighted, discretely kissing his cheek. They set off from the hotel towards the airport, trying to keep the conversation cheerful. As they approached the airport entrance, Lek could feel his spirits slipping fast and made a real effort to hold back the tears. He parked the car while Mike found a baggage trolley; after unloading Mike's bags they entered the terminal building which, although busy, was uncrowded and spacious.
Lek waited as Mike checked his bags in at the airline desk and double checked his flight departure time; he smiled at Lek and said, "We've got time for a coffee, would you like one?"
Lek nodded. He didn't know what to say; he couldn't stand it now and almost wished they'd never met, only to be parted by such a vast distance. They found a seat with a view of the runway, Lek struggled not to cry as he watched the aircraft taking off outside, knowing that very shortly another one would take off carrying his Love, bound for a strange country on the other side of the world. The tears began to come now, he wiped them away hoping Mike wouldn't see. He turned away just as Mike's flight was called, and was thankful that his Love had been distracted before he saw Lek's tears.
The next few minutes were a blur. A brisk walk to the departure area, a quick hug while being jostled by departing passengers, and Mike was gone. Lek was devastated, felt empty and alone, and helpless. Tears streaming down his cheeks he ran out to his car, angry at the world for taking his man away. He struggled with the key and started the engine, wiping his eyes as he made his way towards the highway outside the airport. He was briefly blinded by his salty tears and as he turned onto the busy highway, he did not saw the fully loaded gas tanker as it ploughed in the side of his car. Lek was thrown violently through the front windscreen, the glass shredding his face and body, then landed with a sickening thud on the concrete road, cars and trucks screeching to avoid him and the wreckage of his car.
As his life slipped away, Lek looked up into the heavens and saw a British Airways jumbo jet pass overhead in a halo of sunlight.


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- 650
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- $800
- Check Availability
- Floor Plan
- 2 Bedroom
$1169 - $1249Check Availability
- Bed
- 2
- Bath
- 1
- Rent
- $1169 - $1249
- Sq Ft
- 860
- Deposit
- $800
- Check Availability
Prices, specials, features and availability subject to change.
Property Features
- Security
- Controlled Access
- Convenience
- High Speed Internet Access
- Laundry
- Laundry Facility
Units may feature
- Amenities
- Air Conditioning
- Cable Ready
- Carpeting
- Vaulted Ceilings
- Kitchen
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Outdoor
- Yard
Elm Ledge is located near Patriot Place, Foxboro Stadium, Mansfield Crossing and convenient to rts. 106, 140, I95 & I495. We include heat, hot water, fully applianced kitchens, plush carpet and storage.
Elm Ledge has both one and two bedroom apartments ranging in size from 650 aE" 900 sf. Features vary widely. All include heat and hot water. Kitchens are fully applianced. All are fully carpeted. There is ample parking and we are located minutes from major highways. We can offer free parking within walking distance to the Mansfield Commuter Rail station. All of our properties are professionally managed by the owners with full time staff to take care of your needs. We take pride in our buildings and our prompt courteous maintenance service.
Leasing Information
Pet policy
No Pets. Call for service animal policy.
Twelve Month Leases
For more information, please call (508) 452-5189 (508) 618-7507 or check availability.
Office hours
Managed by
Poorvu Construction Co., Inc.
Check Availability
Call or email the property directly:Check Availability
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Maps & Neighborhood Info
21-37 Elm Street, Foxboro MA 02035


text:
So my friend Danu's bday is today and she drew me something beautiful for my own, so I wrote her something feelingsy based on it back.
Click for sappy/cuddly and almost R-rated Johndaves. 8)
It has been an adventure of sorts, to trace your fingers on this map and try to guide Dave correctly to the place you've been waiting to visit all your life. At points, you almost gave in and admitted that it would probably be a better idea if you had a better guide - something not as archaic as your current methods. But the truth is the both of you persevered, and even when you got lost, with nothing but the neverending road stretching ahead and behind you, there were moments of solace to be had, times where the bigger plan would be swept under the rug because it was just the two of you after all.


text:
Sometime last week—I forget which ride it was because all my rides these days seem to blur into one endless ride in a countryside as indistinct to me as one pedal stroke is to the next—I rolled to a stop at the crest of this ridge east of Stockbridge, Wisconsin, and I did what blurry-minded cyclists often do when they crest a ridge overlooking Stockbridge: I took stock.
Who was I that I rolled each afternoon so far away from home, with no destination in mind, only a vague hope of finding a convenience store with a friendly person behind the counter who won't say to me, on a 48-degree windy day, "Looks like a nice day for a ride?"
Who was I that I believed this life, training hours on end—not but because I will ever win anything but because I want to be strong enough to keep training hours on end, for years on end—has rewards anybody but cyclists can understand?
I searched my mind for an answer and found, not surprisingly, a line from a poem lodged in the upper part of my brain, near where my bike helmet has fused permanently to my skull.
In "The Moon and The Yew Tree," Sylvia Plath writes "I simply cannot see where there is to get to."
Most people who read Sylvia Plath consider that arresting line to be incredibly bleak and hopeless, but to me, this line doesn't seem bleak. If we don't know the answer, if we don't know where we're going, or why, does this prevent us from moving forward? I believe that line is honest and not despairing at all.
In cycling, according to everything we read about training and equipment and mindset, et cetera, we are expected to be specific about our goals. We are supposed to know exactly where in the hell we expect to get to.
But what if we don't want to know? What if we don't want to set the bar of our expectations too high, only to set ourselves up for failure and disappointment?
I have to be honest. I have been training for nearly two months now for the Bone Ride—158 miles of two-wheeled happiness in one day—and the day of pathetic reckoning is only a few weeks away. I will likely fail in this endeavor. True, I can crank out 50 miles on a mellow, daily basis. True, I feel better about my riding than I have in years. True, when I'm plundering on my bicycle through the afternoon air—no matter how cold the temperature and how raw the wind—I thank God I ride bikes instead of playing first base on the Stagger Inn's Tuesday-night softball team.
But the Bone Ride? On Facebook, the kids (me included) sometimes write "Pfft." That's my current attitude toward completing the Bone Ride.
I'm already compiling my list of reasons why I failed, and so far, each reason I have is a damn good reason and reason for which I feel no shame whatsoever.
Funny side note (and reason for failing at the Bone Ride): I went with my girlfriend to a wedding on Saturday.
Cyclists and weddings, I told her, are like oil and water. She said, not surprisingly, "What do you mean by that?"
(page 2 of 2)
I said, "It's not weddings cyclists don't like. It's the time of year people like to have weddings."
I tried to explain that, typically, people don't get married during blizzards or when the high temperature for the day is minus 20 Fahrenheit. In other words, if there's a wedding a cyclist has to attend on the last Saturday in April, well, cycling for that day is going to plow straight into the metaphorical ditch.
I love my girlfriend, which I have mentioned here before, and one of the main reasons I love her is when she hears me explain life in cycling terms—which mostly involves not wanting to anything that could get in the way of a bike ride—she says stuff like "Do you want to be a good human being or a good cyclist?"
There is only one correct answer for that. And no, you skinny fanatics, being a good cyclist is not the correct answer.
So I put on a suit and tie—first time in at least twenty years—and went to the wedding, and I have to say, without irony, that the wedding was really nice.
The bride was one of my girlfriend's best friends from college, and the groom was a fellow about her age, which is about my age, which is about the age where a wedding means that the people involved are running permanent love up the flagpole a second time.
This bride and groom, no doubt about it, love each other beyond 200 percent. You can just see it: the way they look at each other and talk with each other and stand in each other's presence. This is wonderful. This is something to which we should all aspire.
I even shed a couple tears of joy when the vows were exchanged, and this was not because I missed my bike ride.
During the reception, I spoke with the bride just briefly, just saying hello and saying what a nice wedding it was, and she asked me how my training for the Bone Ride was going and if I had to take a day off the bike in order to attend her wedding.
I wanted to say, "My training has been horrible! I'm slow! I'm fat! I spend too much time doing things other than cycling!" And so forth.
But you know what? Even if all that's true, it doesn't matter. The bride was happy. She clearly had married the right fellow. I was happy for her and told her so, and I made no further mention of my crazy life with bicycles.
On Monday, I went for a three-hour ride with a guy named Mark, a strong local racer, and I'm almost 20 years older than he is and almost 20 times less fit than he is. He's going to do the Bone Ride, too. We rode at an easy, spinny pace and talked about this and that, and I was grateful for the company. Nevertheless, my lungs, for some reason, were filling with fluid as if I were being crucified. My gut was sour. That night, I ran a fever. The next day, I managed to ride two hours but was achy and barely moving down the road.
Today, I'm taking stock again.
Next Monday, I turn 49 years old. I will ride my bike from dawn till dusk that day. If I can't finish the Bone Ride in a few weeks, well, I will still be a 49-year-old man who can ride my bike a long way. I will still be capable of love and having good friends and working at my career to the best of my ability and living a life where all things have the possibility of being good, not just one thing being good at the expense of another.
Meantime, the sun shines, and the wind is slight. I'm riding out to that ridge above Stockbridge to see if anything's new.


text:
Mobile Home Tips, Kills Two
August 6, 2011 by UPI - United Press International, Inc.
ST. AMABLE, Quebec, Aug. 7 (UPI) — Two men died and a third was seriously injured when the mobile home they were moving in St. Amable, Quebec, tipped over on them, officials say.
Capt. Yannick Parent of the Richelieu-Saint-Laurent Regional Police said the three men were moving the home for their friend and neighbor when it toppled over on them Friday, The (Montreal) Gazette reported.
The men were trapped under the house for almost an hour.
Two were found unconscious by police and later pronounced dead. The third man was hospitalized in stable condition.
The owner of the mobile home, who was on site when the accident happened, was not injured. No one was inside the house at the time.
Police are looking into the cause of the accident.