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Catch 22: Indians rally, win AL-record 22nd straight game
Catch 22: Indians rally, win AL-record 22nd straight game
Sep. 15, 2017
CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP) — The Cleveland Indians added a walk-off win to a streak that has had everything.
Jay Bruce hit an RBI double in the 10th inning as the Indians rallied for their 22nd straight win to extend their American League record, beating the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Thursday to move within four wins of matching the 1916 New York Giants for the longest streak in major league history.
After blowouts, shutouts and easy wins, the Indians, who tied it in the ninth on Francisco Lindor's two-out, two-strike RBI double, went into extra innings for the first time to keep the longest streak in 101 years intact.
Ramirez led off the 10th with a hard hit into right-center off Brandon Maurer (2-2) that he turned into a double with a head-first slide. After Edwin Encarnacion walked, Bruce, the recent arrival who hit a three-run homer in win No. 21 on Wednesday, ripped a 2-0 pitch into the right-field corner.
As Progressive Field shook like it usually does in October, Bruce reached second base and was quickly mobbed his teammates, who doused him with ice water and talcum powder while tearing the front of his jersey.
These Indians aren't stopping for anything.
Down to their last strike in the ninth, the Indians rallied to tie it at 2 off closer Kelvin Herrera, with Lindor delivering his clutch shot off the left field wall, just above the leap of four-time Gold Glove winner Alex Gordon, to score pinch-runner Erik Gonzalez from first.
As Lindor's ball caromed off the wall and rolled slowly across the grass in left field, 30,874 fans who have watched the Indians overpower teams for the last three weeks, soon saw the AL Central leaders pull off their most dramatic win this season.
The Indians entered the day tied with the 1935 Chicago Cubs for the second-longest streak, and now only trail those '16 Giants, who won 26 in a row — all at home.
The Giants won 12 straight, played a 1-1 tie, and then won 14 in a row. But because the tied game was replayed from the start the next day, it didn't technically count and therefore didn't stop New York's streak.
Unlike many of Cleveland's game's over the past three weeks, this one required a little late-innings work by the Indians, who have outscored their opponents 142-37 during this unimaginable run.
With one out in the ninth, pinch-hitter Tyler Naquin singled to left off Herrera, who then got rookie Francisco Mejia to bounce into a force. But Lindor, the blossoming superstar shortstop who has been Cleveland's best hitter throughout the streak, came through with his double.
Cody Allen (3-6) worked the 10th and it wasn't routine as Brandon Moss led off with a shot to the wall that Naquin caught while pinned up to the bullpen fence.
On top of getting another win, the Indians also got top reliever Andrew Miller back.
The All-Star came in to a rousing ovation in the seventh, and gave up a pair of bloop singles around a strikeout before getting an inning-ending double play.
It was his first appearance since Aug. 21, when Miller's knee tendinitis flared up during an appearance against Boston and he went on the DL for the second time. The left-hander will be brought back slowly by the Indians, who want to make sure he's ready when the games become more meaningful in October.


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a) a person who travels for work over an appreciable distance , usually from the suburbs to the centre of a city.
I'm a commuter. How thrilling right? I get to wake up extra early every morning and come home extra late every night (thanks to my 2 hour daily train ride), all for the love of my job.
So for those of you that don't commute, have you ever thought to yourself "I wonder what life is like for a commuter"? Yeah, I didn't think so. Never the less, I've decided to share my experiences of daily commuting life. The good, the bad, and the just plain weird. I see it all and I see it on the daily.
Since it's Sunday today there are no new and exciting stories to share. Have no fear, I have a few stories that will be forever etched in my mind. If you're on my facebook you'll probably remember a few of these gems. Today I'm going to start with one that is from my more recent memory bank.
Heading into work, it's not unusual to see women applying their faces for the day. I'll admit, I do it too. Such an efficient use of time. Anyway, I'm sat across from a women that has her makeup bag on her lap and is applying it while making little jokes with her boyfriend sitting next to her. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary until I see it. Now you're asking yourself, "what is it?". Its a spoon! First I'm thinking, who has a spoon in their make up bag? Then I think, what is she going to do with it? It doesn't take long before she is using her spoon for its new use. An eyelash curler. She brings spoon to eye and presses her lashes up over the convex back. Weird. Does that really work? I stopped watching, this is just too much for my brain to take on in the morning.
Our train pulls into the station and I depart ready to start my day. First thing on my list of things to do, gossip with the girls. Second thing on my list, try and curl my lashes with a spoon.
And there my friends you have a glimps into what it's like to be a Girl.on.the.Go. Stay tuned for more exciting, even if pointless, stories to come.

subset: commoncrawl


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Wow, what a reality check for the kids this morning to go from -9 on Friday during their walk home from school, to being -39 this morning with the windchill.
Welcome to Saskatchewan, Canada, where everyone in the Home of the Brave freezes their buns off in January! Hopefully some of those flu bugs out there will die off too.
It looks like the cold will last all week, with Wednesday being the chilliest, with a windchill of -43. The kids are hoping for a no school day that day...we will see! Jacelyn is supposed to be going with her class on a bit of a field trip that day and I'm half hoping if it will be so cold that they will cancel it.
Jacelyn has been into dressing herself, putting on make up, and wanting her hair to be brushed. She's not really a tom boy, but she's never been very girly either. Lately, however, she wants me to help her get made up a bit more than usual: putting her hair in curlers, teaching her how to put on her lipstick, etc. Last night after her shower she wanted her hair curly for school the next day so I rolled it up for her. I forgot to take a picture of her before she went out the door this morning, but she looked cute. I'm sure her toque will take care of that today.
I spent Friday printing off the rest of my scrapbook layouts for 2011...there were 22 in all! I couldn't believe it. Oh but it was a big relief to get them done and put away in the album. Now I can start all over again for the new year.
paper: Karen Funk "For the Boys" Design House Digitals,
alpha: Desert Camo
elements: DSP, 2 Peas in a Bucket "Your Day to Shine"


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Lace night gowns and pretty lace dresses are a continuing craze around the crimson carpets and runways. Lace provides a contact of feminine charm to any gown. This collection of lace dresses contains various shorter black lace dresses, captivating lace cocktail dresses, and lacey prom dresses in different lengths. There are lots of classic very little black dresses trimmed in lace, white lace dresses, and elegant night gowns with lace accents to choose from.
Iridescent sequins light up a fairly lace-overlay bodice when a flowy chiffon skirt contrasts with its matte finish to offer this exquisite A-line gown a two-piece perception.
a trendy, typically compact store, In particular one providing outfits. She prefers compact boutiques to significant retailers. boetiek بوتيك: دُكّان لِبَيْع لَوازِم النِّساء бутик butique butik die Boutique modeforretning; boutique μπουτίκboutique boutique بوتیک؛ مغازه کوچک لباس فروشی putiikki boutiqueבוטיק बुटीक butik butik butik tískuverslun (með föt) boutique ブテック 부티크 krautuvėlė (modes preču) veikals butik boetiekmoteforretning; gavebutikkbutik بوتیک، د جامی خرڅولو کوچنی مغازه butique butic, magazin mic бутик butik butik butik boutique ร้านขายเครื่องแต่งกายที่นำสมัย butik, dükkân 精品店 бутік کپڑوں کی چھوٹی دوکان tiệm bán quần áo 精品店,专卖流行衣服的小店
Black Dolce & Gabbana satin sleeveless midi costume with lace overlay, slim straps, sweetheart neck, padded bust and concealed zip closure at Centre back.
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store, retail outlet - a mercantile institution for that retail sale of goods or services; "he purchased it in a shop on Cape Cod"
Cuddle up which has a cozy cardigan, a good study, along with a cup of tea, and also you're established for any splendidly soothing working day. Simply toss with a braided belt and cute sandals if you decide to head out afterwards during more info the afternoon!
Be a trendsetter in a very fringe costume, or rock out a basic glimpse with a chic small lace costume! You'll love The range of shorter party dresses, hot cocktail dresses and many types of minor black dresses, all ideal for a Unique party.
Blue silk lace overlay Zac here Posen halter gown with boning at bodice, bead embellished trim at bust, button closures at nape and hid zip closure at Centre again.
Playful ruffles trim the gently flared skirt of the fantastically Slice square-neck gown, introducing a way of traditional Oscar de la Renta femininity into the mottled navy-and-white jacquard design.
If it is get more info the perfect New Yrs party gown you motivation or a shocking formal costume then finish it off with a set of pretty higher heels. When you are seeking a longer party gown or a sexy gown a thing that you could possibly see a star wearing over the purple carpet then you ought to store our prom dresses section.
The Sultry Summoning Black Velvet Bodycon Dress is asking to you personally for a night of fruity beverages and dancing! Gentle and stretchy velvet flatters your figure since it falls from skinny straps into a draping neckline and bodycon silhouette.
Geometric patterning enlivens a suit-and-flare costume crafted from silk jacquard woven with KENZO logos cleverly hidden Amongst the graphic motif.
This white Self-Portrait mini dress is crafted from probably the most intricate guipure-lace that's cleverly positioned to draw flattering strains from the human body.
- 405 Visitors


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The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission-led National Criminal Intelligence Fusion Capability was formally established in July 2010 and supports a whole-of-government response to serious and organised crime.
It is a key element of the Commonwealth Organised Crime Strategic Framework and is one of the agency's key specialist capabilities.
The Fusion Capability brings together subject matter experts, investigators and analysts, data and tools from across a range of government agencies at the national and state and territory levels to:
- enhance understanding of the national picture of organised crime
- discover previously unknown organised criminal activity and entities.
This knowledge informs the widest variety of response options that can reduce the threat and impact of serious and organised crime.
The National Criminal Intelligence Fusion Capability brings together more than 20 partner agencies to build the intelligence picture to respond to serious and organised criminal threats.
The Fusion Capability provides law enforcement the opportunity to act on emerging threats before they become entrenched. The Capability shares criminal intelligence to enable more knowledgeable decisions about how to focus combined resources to reduce the organised crime threats of most harm to the community.
The Fusion Capability provides insights from existing intelligence, narrowing gaps in collective intelligence holdings and discovering previously unknown criminal threats.


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When I was nearing retirement, I read some articles on how to prepare for such a state. There were a lot of practical suggestions such as keeping one foot still on the trade that one was in prior to retirement…a gradual moving away from a lifelong routine. It makes sense to do this. One might find oneself feeling totally inadequate when into a completely alien territory that one has no known competence on. It could be very depressing. Some of the doable endeavors that presented themselves were to be a figurehead president of a research company which some former colleagues were planning to set up. Others were consultancy with a handful of companies, teach market research in the university, write teaching modules and do seminars. I dismissed each one thinking that I may not be able to stand the pressure no matter how small they were. I do not need the tensions and the pressures that go with the acceptance of any of these responsibilities.
My health was not ideal by the time I reached retirement age. I have had diabetes for more than fifteen years and was already on regular insulin shots and just a few years back my ticker was largely constricted and they had to perform an angioplasty procedure to repair the blocked arteries. All my diseases are stress related.
The wild and wooly badlands of advertising in the sixties, the pressure of managing brands in highly competitive fast moving consumer goods markets plus the rigors of running and satisfying the sales and profit targets of an American multinational company for more than a decade have exacted their toll on my health. With some amount of braggadocio I have said that earning the next million is not worth it. However, this could be very true with the high cost of medical care these days.
So, moneymaking activities have been ruled out.
A suggestion that I liked best was on farming. I had fantasies about living off the land. You know, the joy of growing things with your manure dirtied hands. Small time farming, an orchard and some vegetable patches to take care of would be heavenly. I had the notion that I could be a good handyman and it would be nice to take up woodcraft as something to do while the vegetables are growing and the trees are waiting for the next fruiting season. I was bent on doing all these. In a trip to the US I bought a few small power tools and had a craft table made with a work platform. I had to move on to the next suggestion when my wife declared that she was not a farm girl and have no intentions of becoming one now.
In addition to all these, it was suggested to have some cerebral pursuits. This was, also, to my liking. I would have a lot time in my hands to revisit all the novels and poems I read during my college days.
I took stock of the books that I had in my possession. I found out that I have not bought any new fiction except for a few of the more recent books of Kurt Vonnegut, one of my favorites. All the rest of fiction books on the shelves were from what I acquired when I was in my twenties. My shelves were teeming with management books, books on marketing and research, psychology and a few inspirational pieces and how tos.
I now frequent second hand bookstores in search of favorite and familiar authors during my college years. These authors have now been replaced in the best sellers list by the young contemporary writers. I have been often rewarded by this browsing habit. Hemingway is hardly known to the younger readers, and so with Herman Hesse, Steinbeck, Willa Cather, Welty, Asimov, DH Lawrence, CS Lewis, Updike, Arthur C Clarke, Mccullers and other great writers of the nineteenth and twentieth century. The prices that they tag on to these precious literary works are absurdly low and insulting to the authors. I shouldn't complain. I have managed to restore my library with the works of these fine authors for a pittance.
Just revisiting old favorites and reading other works of my admired authors is all that I do now. Idleness is not so bad after all. I get all the excitement that I need from the restocked treasury of experiences in my library.


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J Gunnar is one of those writers who inspire the rest of us. But, I have to say, beyond her obvious talent, lies a kind lady, always willing to lend a hand even when she possibly, doesn't have a moment to spare. Check out her new book, it will have two parts, and is well worth the read!
evening, Saturday, 24 August 1940
the village of Patchbourne, England
Something soft and annoying whooshed past his face. Faust brushed at it, but it was already gone and he was too fragging sleepy to care. He dropped his arm to the bed.
There was no bed.
There wasn't anything. His arm was dangling out in space. So was the rest of him. Faust snapped his eyes open. A strong wind pummeled him, tumbled him head over turkey. The ground was a long way down. He was falling and it was real, not some stupid nightmare.
Panic leapt like a predator through his veins. He twisted, fighting against gravity. An icicle of light from the distant ground stabbed at his eyes, swept past him, and several red
flashes popped in quick succession. A rumbling vibrated the air, something
sounding like an artillery round exploded nearby, and sharp chemical smoke
scoured his nostrils.
Tight cords wrapped about his body, between his legs, jerking him upright and throwing him higher, dangling him across the light-slashed night sky. The rumbling intensified. His head snapped back. Above him, a parachute canopy blazed white in the spotlight from
below. Beyond it loomed a huge dark beast, moving past in impossible slow
motion. It towered over him. The parachute danced closer, second by drawn-out
second; then it bowed, canted, and slid away, laying Faust on his back as it
hauled him aside.
He gripped the harness shroud
lines, chest and belly flinching. It was the bomber, the one he'd been riding
in. The belly hatch framed Erhard's laughing face, lit from below by a
spotlight. With one hand, Erhard clutched the rubber coaming, cupping the other
about his mouth. He yelled something—something short—which was overwhelmed by
the racket and growing distance.
Maybe the plane was having mechanical
problems—but they and the mechanics had tuned the Heinkel's twin engines all
afternoon. No one else was bailing out.
Yay! Not only did J Gunnar share the above excerpt, but we got to ask her a few questions!
Tell us a little about yourself.
When did you start writing?
Those first stuttering attempts date back to elementary school, and my first full-length novel was completed in sixth grade. By publishing standards it's utter drivel, but it's my favorite childhood memory.
Is there a message you want readers to get from your current novel?
The devil in any given situation isn't always the person or group you think it is.
Deal with the Devil is about a German Army officer during World War II, Major Faust, who's in a no-win situation. He's a prisoner of the English in August 1940, the Battle of Britain. British Military Intelligence believe he's a spy and they're determined to break him.
Faust is equally determined to escape, but every time he gets away, a woman is raped and murdered, meaning he's the hot suspect. If he remains in English custody, he's likely to be executed. If he tries to escape, he's risking someone else's life, and if he succeeds in returning to Germany, he faces an investigation from the Gestapo and also possibly execution. And it doesn't help that he fell in love with his interrogator's granddaughter at first sight.
His only option is to catch the murderer himself. In the process, he learns who the real devil is, and that his only road to escape isn't the one he thought it was.
How much of your book is realistic?
A lot of it. I worked hard on the World War II European history, the rationing, the lifestyle, the technology, the plan for the German invasion that never happened and the intended British Army defense. Amazon and eBay searches turned up old guidebooks with maps of Oxford, England, histories of the various Oxford University colleges, discussions of interrogation techniques and battle plans and even how to fly a Spitfire. Deal with the Devil is as real as I could make it.
Are there any new authors you are excited about?
Of course! There's this amazing novel coming out soon from Astraea Press entitled The Keepers, written by a new author named Monique O'Connor James . . . oh, imagine that! It's YOU! (BLUSH)
How long did it take you to write this book?
From first idea to acceptance letter was six years, with four of those devoted to actual writing. The idea was a year in incubation, two years in a partial rough draft, six months in panic, another eighteen months in completion, six months in stasis, and six more months in polishing and submitting. I discuss this in a little more depth on the Astraea Press blog, for anyone interested.
What is your current WIP about?
One of my favorite characters from Deal is Dr. Harris, the acerbic, sarcastic, lonely country doctor who stitches Faust's injuries over and over again. (Any resemblance to Bones McCoy from Star Trek is of course purely coincidental.) Harris started bugging me for his own book, keeping me awake at nights with the tale of how the woman he loved married another man. I wrote that one for Matrimonial Mayhem, the anthology of wedding stories being released by Astraea Press to benefit the areas in Alabama that were ravaged by the tornadoes. I assumed that would satisfy him.
But no, Harris continues to bug me. So my current project is Landing Flight, set in 1941 and telling the tale of two lonely people who learn to fly, and land, together.
What was your reaction when you were first contracted?
It's still not real to me. I'm still floating along on this little author-shaped cloud, waiting for reality to kick in, and it's not happening. A friend of mine, the redoubtable Chris Stout, commented on Facebook that he's about to receive his third royalty check and it's still not real to him, either, so I'm just gonna keep floating for a while.
If you could have dinner with any of your characters, who would it be and why?
They're all interesting to me. But for dinner, I'd love to sit down with Cedric Stoner, the British Army interrogator who's trying to break Faust. Stoner is a retired Oxford University don whose years at Magdalen College coincided with the Inklings, the writing group that included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and he also served with the British Army in the First World War.
I just know Stoner would have some amazing and fascinating tales to tell. Besides, he's always a gentleman and he enjoys spending time and conversing with women, so even if he won't tell stories, it would be a fun evening.
Hope you enjoyed our talk with J. Gunnar, you can reach her at her links below. Thanks for stopping by!!!
Blog http://the1940mysterywriter.wordpress.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/J-Gunnar-Grey/156265447761556
Twitter handle
Astraea Press buy link
Amazon.com buy link
and Noble buy link
Monique O'Connor James


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|Photo: AP
TELEGRAPH--A man in Utah discovered $45,000 (£28,000) stuffed into tins and boxes in the attic of the new home he had just bought – and gave the money back to the previous owner's six children.
Josh Ferrin was exploring the house he had just bought when he made the discovery.
"I freaked out, locked it in my car, and called my wife to tell her she wouldn't believe what I had found," said Mr Ferrin, who works as an artist for the Deseret News in Salt Lake City.
Along with his wife and children, they spread out thousands of notes on a table, separating the bundles one by one. They stopped counting at $40,000.
Despite being tempted to keep the money to help him pay for mounting bills and broken down car, Mr Ferrin sought out the children of the home's previous owner, who had died, and gave them the money.
"I'm not perfect, and I wish I could say there was never any doubt in my mind. We knew we had to give it back, but it doesn't mean I didn't think about our car in need of repairs, how we would love to adopt a child and aren't able to do that right now, or fix up our outdated house that we just bought," he said. "But the money wasn't ours to keep and I don't believe you get a chance very often to do something radically honest, to do something ridiculously awesome for someone else and that is a lesson I hope to teach to my children."
Vocabulary Words: Read the vocabulary words and the example sentences. Make your own sentence using the vocabulary word/s afterwards.
stuff (v.): fill; place or put
She is going to stuff the bag with a lot of clothes.
tin (n.): a metal can
The tin is full of garbage.
attic (n.): a space found directly below the roof of a house or other building
The woman lives in an attic.
explore (v.): to investigate; to examine; to travel into
I'm going to explore Europe after graduation.
freak out (v.): to become frightened, nervous or wildly excited
Mr. Smith freak out after seeing a snake at his house.
mounting (adj.): very large/big (like a mountain)
I will wash the mounting dishes.
sought (v.): past tense of seek (look for something)
I sought for my wallet and I fount it.
outdated (adj.): very old-fashioned; old
His car is outdated.
radically (adv.): completely; thoroughly
He radically changed his opinion.
ridiculously (adv.): extremely silly or unreasonable
Making money in those days was so ridiculously easy!
awesome (adj.): great
My trip to Hong Kong is awesome.
Comprehension check: Answer the questions based on the article.
1. Where and how did the man find the money?
2. What did the man do when he saw the money?
3. What did he do to the money?
4. Why did he return the money?
Agree or Disagree: Explain your answer.
1. Money is the most important thing in the world.
2. I will return a large sum of money if ever I find it.
3. We should always be honest.


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CLEVELAND, Ohio - Bolstered by four Horizon League Championships and a pair of league runner-up finishes, Cleveland State claimed the James J. McCafferty Trophy, which is presented annually by the Horizon League in recognition of the league's all-sport champion. The award was presented by the Horizon League office on Tuesday at the league's spring meetings in Chicago.
This marks the second McCafferty Trophy for CSU, which also claimed the award at the end of the 2007-08 season.
"Capturing the Horizon League All Sports Trophy is a source of great pride for the CSU Department of Athletics," CSU Director of Athletics John Parry said. "Our theme this year was 'Finish Viking Strong' and the collective success of our teams is a tribute to the support staff, coaches and student-athletes."
CSU finished the year with 45 points, four points ahead of Loyola which was second with 41 points. Milwaukee finished third with 39.5 points and with UIC finishing fourth with 36.5 points. Detroit was fifth with 36 points with Valparaiso (35 points), Youngstown State (28), Green Bay (22) and Wright State (16) rounding out the standings.
The Vikings were tied for third place with 14 points after the fall season and remained in third place after the winter season with 26 points, 10 points behind Loyola and six back of Milwaukee.
But in the span of 48 hours in late April, the Vikings scored 17.5 points in men's and women's golf and men's and women's tennis to vault to the top of the standings. And when the softball team defeated Loyola in an elimination game of the league tournament to secure at least one point, the trophy belonged to CSU.
The Vikings earned 26 of their 45 overall points in the men's sports to claim the Men's All-Sports Award. CSU earned seven points in men's soccer, men's swimming and diving and men's tennis and five points in men's golf.
The 19 points on the women's side came from five sports with CSU finishing fourth in the Women's All Sports Award. Volleyball tallied seven points with women's swimming and diving earning five. Women's golf scored three points, while women's tennis tallied 2.5 points and softball recorded the final 1.5 points.
Handed out every year since 1979-80, the McCafferty Trophy is named after James J. McCafferty, the former Xavier University men's basketball coach and athletics director who served as the league's commissioner.
Points are passed out in all 19 Horizon League Championship sports with seven points going for first, five for second, three for third, two for second and one for third. The results of the priority sports of baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, softball and volleyball are weighted with the regular season standings accounting for 60-percent and the postseason tournament for 40-percent. Indoor and outdoor track and field and considered one sport with 50-percent of points coming from indoor and 50-percent from outdoor.
The points in the remaining sports are based entirely on results from respective Horizon League Championships.
2012-13 McCafferty Trophy Standings
1. Cleveland State 45
2. Loyola 41
3. Milwaukee 39.5
5. Detroit 36
6. Valparaiso 35
7. Youngstown State 28
8. Green Bay 22
9. Wright State 16
Men's Sports
1. Cleveland State 26
2. Milwaukee 22
3. Valparaiso 21
4. Detroit 17.5
5. Loyola 17
7. Green Bay 10
8. Wright State 9.5
9. Youngstown State 5.5
Women's Sports
1. Loyola 24
3. Youngstown State 22.5
4. Cleveland State 19
5. Detroit 18.5
6. Milwaukee 17.5
7. Valparaiso 14
8. Green Bay 12
9. Wright State 6.5


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I love to help out new homeschoolers. That's one reason I volunteer with my state association as a County Rep. I really enjoy talking about the ins and outs of homeschooling. Inevitably one big question always comes up in conversation.
"I'm ready to homeschool, now what do I teach?"
This can be a rather daunting task. Public school teachers teach what their curriculum tells them to cover. The curriculum is decided by the powers of be there. Since I'm not a public school teacher (and I have never even played one on TV) I'm not sure exactly how it works at that level, but I do know that there are scopes and sequences that teachers must follow, lists of tasks that should be accomplished come the end of the school year, and many times they have little say in how that all happens.
On the flip side, homeschoolers sometimes have so many choices that it becomes a bit overwhelming.
The first thing I ask new homeschoolers to think about is this...."What does your child like?" Is your son really in to dinosaurs? What about your daughter, does she love princesses and fairies? Do you know how your child learns? Do they need to move around? Can they sit still for a bit? Do they like to touch and feel to figure out how things work?
Answers to those questions will begin to steer you the right way.
One more thing I always do for new homeschoolers...I point them to all the wonderful freebies out there. I think it's a great way to figure out what works and what doesn't for no more than the cost of ink and paper to print it all out. Add a library card to the mix and it's a great way to start.
Here's a list of just a few of my favorite sites - in fact - I just sent this list out to a new homeschooler tonight.
Free hands-on fun stuff to make (we did the brain hat - it was fun!)
I'm not 100% sure about this - I just started checking it out but it's all free - as far as I know:
This site has a lot of free stuff & you can buy a subscription if you want to see more.
This site is great. There are 100's of free "lapbooks" you can print out. You could seriously just use this site & learn all you needed - for free - with a library card.
Here is a link just to show WHAT a lapbook is...
And lastly - this is a blog completely full of FREE links across the internet for homeschooling resources. It would take a week or more to get through them all. There's a TON!!!
I always hesitate to share this, but it is a valid and helpful resource (and here's my disclaimer...) as long as it is used ONLY as a GUIDE. I always make sure that new homeschoolers never feel like lists of "what your child should learn" are taken as the gospel truth. That's a sure recipe for burnout! Use the lists as a guide. A nice free one on the internet is found HERE.
If you follows the interests of your children and make sure they are making continued progress, you really can't go wrong.


text:
Hello - I did my best to post the graphic, assume all lines are parallel. Will you also be able to give an explanation?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Not that easy to "explain"...I'll try:
label the 15 by 26 rectangle ABCD clockwise, A top left corner;
label end of line from D as E, end of line from C as F, so DE = CF = 39;
draw perpendicular EG, G on CF: so EG = x;
so we now have right triangles BCF and EGF: these are SIMILAR triangles
Since similar, then EG/EF = BC/CF : x/15 = 26/39 : x = 10
Hello Wilmer -
Thank you for your help...I labeled the diagram as you requested.
I am a bit confused about where you are placing "x"
Perpendicular to EG?
Thank you,


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Proper 25B; October 25, 2015
Mark 10:46-52
Trinity by the Cove Episcopal Church, Naples, FL
"What do you want me to do for you?"
That's a question that I often forget to ask. I sometimes tend to charge into situations – certain of what the need is . . . and some of the time it goes fine — but not always. In any case, I've learned that it's best to ask upfront – and even more important: it's best to listen well before presuming to solve someone else's problem!
Today, I wonder . . . if I had encountered Bartimaeus on the road from Jericho . . . I wonder if he would have ended up with an extra five dollars in his pocket, this because it would have been my quick-fix response. I might have presumed that's what he needed or wanted . . . because I would have neglected to ask.
But Jesus doesn't presume, even though he is God Incarnate, even though he knows every human need even before we ask, and even though the man standing before him is clearly blind.
Before doing anything for Bartimaeus, Jesus first asks, "What do you want me to do for you?"
In the gospel reading from last week, Jesus asked two of his disciples, James and John, the very same question. "What do you want me to do for you?" James and John were wanting positions of power and prestige at Jesus' side when he entered into his glory.
But this week, Bartimaeus, isn't looking for special privileges. He just wants to see. And this points us to the fact that Jesus has not come to bestow power and honor. Jesus has come to heal the blind, to open eyes to the new spiritual and physical realities that are possible in God's kingdom. When it comes to understanding what Jesus has come to do, his close friends James and John are more "blind" than Bartimaeus.
Bartimaeus asks for the right thing. When Jesus asks Bartimaeus, "What do you want me to do for you?" his reply is "My teacher, let me see again." He declares – without hesitation – that Jesus can deliver the wholeness and salvation that people seek. In this confidence and simplicity, Bartimaeus reveals his belief in Jesus . . . Bartimaeus reveals his faith.
Faith can make us well. Faith is not magic – or superstition – or some simple fix, of course. When Jesus says to Bartimaeus, "Your faith has made you well", he is not saying that Bartimaeus somehow believed his way into wellness. Rather Jesus is pronouncing his wellness . . . declaring it . . . making it happen. It is Jesus who heals . . . and faith that receives that healing. And so it is, or can be, for us. Faith and acceptance can make us well.
Faith can open our eyes and clear out our ears: this is how faith brings about forgiveness . . . how faith and wellness meet. This is the power of Jesus' work of salvation. This is the consummation of faith and fullness of life . . .
There is a challenge for us in the imagery and the story of Bartimaeus.
• Is this a story you recognize from your own life?
• Have you ever heard the voice of Jesus and sprung up to follow?
• And there's that wonderful detail about the cloak: Bartimaeus threw off his cloak. What would it mean for you to throw off your cloak? Might it be letting go of your fears, your baggage, . . . and the other things you tend to put your trust in?
And when Jesus says to you, 'What do you want me to do for you?' what would you say? What would you say today?
If Jesus were to fully open our eyes, what might that require of us? If we were to go into the world, no longer blind but seeing . . . no longer unfeeling, but caring . . . no longer deaf, but hearing the cries of those in pain who sit along the side of the road – how might our lives and the lives of people around us be different?
But honestly, regaining sight – being willing to be healed from spiritual blindness – takes courage. Truth be told, most of us tend to seek mere relief rather than healing. . . and there is a big difference between momentary relief and true healing . . .
Jesus is in the healing business.
Actually what Jesus is saying to Bartimaeus, and to us is, "Are you really sure you want healing?" Jesus respects us, and he respects our freedom. He needs our consent before he enters our lives with his healing presence.
Yes, to be healed requires courage. So maybe that question from last week's gospel is applicable when we cry out to God for healing: Jesus asks "Do you have any idea what you are asking?" . . . Often – we do not.
True healing takes courage because it will bring about change, . . . and it will present new demands. If a blind man is healed, it's no longer acceptable for him to sit and beg – more will be expected of him. He has more to give. And through it all, his life will be irrevocably changed.
When we look to the blind man Bartimaeus who hailed Jesus from the side of the road on his way up to Jerusalem, we're challenged to ask:
• What adventure in faith awaits us?
• Where is the Spirit leading us today?
So I invite you all to have a "Jesus-and-Bartimaeus" conversation this week . . . and here's what I mean by that: Set aside some time to think about – and pray about – what you want done for you at this point in your life . . .
At this Eucharist, Jesus invites each of us to come to him. As you come to receive Jesus in the sacrament, come with the faith of Bartimaeus. Throw off your cloak, whatever it might be, and as you eat the bread and drink the wine, hear Jesus asking you, 'What do you want me to do for you?'
Listen to him asking – and then . . . – tell him.


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I finished my second Leafy Tops Hat! For those of you who don't remember, this is actually my own design. When I asked my sister to model the original sample, however, she completely fell in love with it, so I HAD to give it to her for Hanukah. I mean, what is there not to like about this thing? The stockinette is flecked with tweedy goodness for some interest, and the lace decreases are oh so cool.
I completely am in love with the finished fabric the yarn produces. Although the Knit One, Crochet Too Brae Tweed (60% Merino, 20% Llama, 10% Wool, 10% Bamboo) is, as a single ply, a little bit splitty, the AMAZING fiber content is so drapey and warm that no one can resist it.
I had to do just a bit of modding on this one. I wasn't really paying attention to how long my stockinette portion was, so I think I may have knit almost a 1/2″ too far. The first time, I ran out of yarn with about 10 rows of decreases to go. I frogged back and got rid of 2 rounds of stockinette, but I could still feel my yarn running out. I had to switch to decreasing every row about 2 rows early, but I think it still came out OK. Laying flat, it's a little bit scrunchy, but that could be because it hasn't been blocked yet. On my head it lays perfectly flat.
Also, I may have forgotten that my interchangable US6 needles were on the sweater that I may have unfairly left to work on this project. I was feeling a little bit too lazy to search out another pair, so I just did the ribbing on the same needles as the rest of the body. There's a slight pucker as I switched from the ribbing to the stockinette, but it's not too bad. I've decided to let it go and live with it 😉
For more FO Friday posts, don't forget to check out Tami's!


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This place was exactly as I hoped, nothing fancy but clean and accommodating with a friendly and competent staff. No hassle check in, vert quiet and hassle free. My room was a little dingy but what do you want at this rate. I travel a...More
"VERY clean rooms, BEST ever friendliness Home away from home Peacefullness"
"try it once you will stay here everytime you come to Bedford Indiana"


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That was tricky, wasn't it? Using my title to draw you in. Sneaky Mrs. Potts!
I did want to make sure that I shared this with everyone, though. I have in the last year been able to volunteer with a local YMCA. This particular YMCA is part of a Community Outreach Program that benefits another Y. The second Y provides services in an area where the dropout rate is higher, elementary school children score below average on their national tests and where a majority of seniors are living below the poverty level. I've seen first hand what my time can do as well as where my money goes.
In light of the observations I've had the chance to make, I volunteered to go to jail in hopes of raising enough money to bail myself out. I wanted to take the chance today to remind you that there are people out there who need our help. There are children who would love help with their homework, teenagers who would enjoy the time spent with a caring adult and elderly people who may want someone to do puzzles with.
Part of my email to my friends reminded people that times are difficult and uncertain for many of us. I appreciate the fact that they even read my email - perhaps it will spur them to volunteer an hour a week to spend with children. I hope that reading this will remind you that often the greatest thing you can give is not necessarily your money, but your time.
1 year ago


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The Shriver Report: A Women's Nation Pushes Back from the Brink was released today, and it's getting a lot of attention for it's high-profile essays from the likes of Beyonce and Lebron James, among others. But it also offers more complex academic essays that feature new and groundbreaking research into the lives of American women.
President Obama recently described economic immobility and inequality as the the defining issue of our time, and this report lays out a clear case for why that's true with breath-taking facts and stories.
So besides Beyonce's essay, here are 8 important takeaways from the The Shriver Report. Download your own copy of the report here, and let us know what resonated most with you.
Today, 1/3 of American women live in poverty, or on the brink of it. This means they're living paycheck to paycheck and spending every dollar that comes in on necessities. That leaves them just one repair or emergency away from wiping out any savings they can accumulate.
70% of single mothers with children are in poverty. That's 42 million women, and 28 million kids. As Maria Shriver writes, "They are not women wanting it all. They're alreading doing it all–working, providing, parenting, care-giving."
79% of Americans favor expanded access to high-quality affordable childcare for working families. Low-income workers, including single mothers, do not have access to family-friendly benefits including flex-time or sick days. The majority of all Americans recognize how this prohibits working mothers from retaining employment or pursuing education, but we're far from seeing this become law.
It is more expensive to be poor than not to be poor. The inability to pay rent or a security deposit leads to over-priced living situations. Loans and credit, if they're approved, come with higher interest rates. Without loans and credit, the only tools for juggling earnings are "pay-day advance centers," or similar predatory options. Lower priced used cars results in more frequent repairs. The list goes on.
97.6% of women with paid maternity leave return to the same employer with the same or higher pay. Meanwhile, 30% of low-income women without paid maternity leave end up changing employers when returning to work. Low-income workers are more likely to see a wage drop when changing employers.
169 out of 173 countries provide women with paid maternity leave. The United States is not one of them.
2/3 of women work in just 5% of the occupational categories. Except for teaching and nursing, they are the lowest paid occupations
The college majors dominated by women have the lowest earning potential. Conversely, college tuition rises 7% every year on average, and women are more likely to take on loan debt, and more of it. The result is that women are making an increasingly expensive investment while seeing comparatively lower life-long earnings than men.
- Read even more by downloading your own copy of The Shriver Report here.
- Read Executive Summary of the Report here on the Center for American Progress's site.
Where to find these eight facts in the report:
- From "The Powerful and Powerless" by Maria Shriver
- From "The Powerful and Powerless" by Maria Shriver
- From "Marriage, Motherhood, and Men" by Ann O'Leary
- From "Time to Wake Up: Stop Blaming Poverty on the Poor" by Barbara Ehrenreich
- From "A Women's Place is the Middle Class" by Heather Boushay
- From "A Women's Place is the Middle Class" by Heather Boushay
- From "Get Smart: A 21st-Century Education for All Women" by Dr. Anthony P. Carnevale and Dr. Nicole Smith
- From "Get Smart: A 21st-Century Education for All Women" by Dr. Anthony P. Carnevale and Dr. Nicole Smith


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A few months ago I was checking out etsy for makeup bags, and I found an awesome seller, but never got around to making a purchase. I was recently looking again, and came across another awesome seller. After looking through her store I realized that it was the same seller that I had loved so much from my 1st search! I decided I just HAD to buy some lol. 13 actually! They should be on their way soon, so I will make another post when they get here, and there might be a giveaway in store!! :) - What I DO know for sure is that some will be given away as contest prizes filled with goodies for THIS ANTI-VALENTINES DAY CONTEST!!
If you're impatient like me and want one NOW, then please head to her shop HERE
There's still a pretty nice variety, even though I bought up a bunch lol. I just LOVE her designs! They're bright and fun, and cheer me up just looking at them!! :) The BEST part is that they're so affordable that I can purchase a bunch, and not feel guilty!! They range in price from $2 - $5!!! Most of them are $3 and shipping is cheap too! ($2)!! Please check her out, and if you do make a purchase let her know that I sent you! :) Here are some examples of the bags that are available now! Like I said I bought up a bunch and they seem to sell quick! If you see a design that you like buy it now, as it may not be there tomorrow! Also check back often for new designs! :)


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We mope a lot around here about the kids we don't have. The attitude is totally different at a lot of childfree sites. They celebrate their freedom. Although we may wish with all our hearts that we had children, I think it's important to recognize that being childless does have its blessings, at least in the years when our kids would have needed constant care. It's the whole glass half empty/glass half full conundrum.
Anyway, have you ever heard of Breeder Bingo? I found it at the Happily Childfree site. It's like regular bingo, except the squares are filled with the stupid things the unaware say to people who don't have children. Whenever you hear one, fill in a square. When you fill up a row, holler Bingo!" It's brilliant. Find your bingo card and rules at http://www.happilychildfree.com/bingo.htm.


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Optimising IT Operations – today and into the future
The only thing that is certain in today's world is constant change. Future proofing is an overused term but it does correctly describe how internal IT operations need to think about their business.
And that is where the issues begin. How do you monitor and maintain existing services to a quality standard as well as investigate the where-to-next part of the equation? And how do you explore new opportunities and carry out testing while managing traditional environments?
Organisations are facing multiple transformational issues. What works today is not going to work tomorrow and the impacts of big data – its collection and storage – is just one of the challenges taxing the corporate environment. So how do you keep ahead of the curve?
- Listen – your best indication of how your company views its future direction will come from the employees and management. Understand the corporate strategy, be clear on what the company sees as its future and how it intends to deliver products and services. Externally, research and learn about global trends and new systems and processes and how they might align and transform your workplace. Better still, look for ways that will add value to your customers to assist their performance.
- Allocate resources – set up a team that has the sole purpose of refining and reviewing existing systems and researching and testing new technologies. Embed people from cross-functional areas. It is not enough to have this critical thinking done when IT teams have "spare time". It is essential to dedicate a team that has as its focus IT transformation, not as an added-on to already overstretched IT teams,
- Blue-sky thinking – inspiration comes from being allowed time and space to think. Encourage your IT operations to have a mindset where no idea is a bad idea and several times each year, host workshops where your teams, and anyone across the business, can present their ideas and solutions.
- Be prepared to fail – to productively improve and transform systems and processes, you will encounter failure. That should not deter your quest for innovation and pushing the boundaries. The old saying "Don't change for change's sake" is no longer relevant in a world that is reinventing itself every 12 months.
- Outsource – while the traditional IT environment has focused on keeping all systems and processes internal, providers such as Metronode have engineers with years of experience and expertise who will work with your teams to provide the best outcomes.
It takes a highly-skilled team to run successful IT operations and you need to remain ahead of the curve to keep your business at the top of the list. When looking at continual optimisation, keep in mind the importance of flexibility to increase capacity quickly and easily, maximising the energy-efficiency of your environment and ensuring the physical security of your equipment to better protect your ICT.
Click here to read another Metronode blog on optimisation.
Click here to hear how having skilled service delivery expertise vital to stress free, on time, on budget DC projects.


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Friday, May 28, 2010
Action-packed day
After I got out of the class I checked my email and found out that our loan had been approved, so the house is ours - yay!
This afternoon I am at Lonely Planet for some more work. Am here next week as well.
I'm looking forward to meeting Rob tonight to celebrate our new house (although we won't be moving in for a while).
Thursday, May 27, 2010
What are your priorities?
1. himself [health, wellbeing, etc]
2. role as a husband
3. role as a father
4. role as an extended family member
5. role as a friend
6. role as a financial controller
7. role as a corporate leader.
When he gets stressed he tends to prioritise No. 7 - when this happens he regroups his week.
From How six high-flyers stay ahead of time
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Measurement Day
Meal Plan
Breakfast: oats, dried fruit, reduced-fat Greek yoghurt, flax oil
Morning tea: coffee with milk; boiled eggs, fruit
Lunch: toasted sandwich with tomato paste, kale, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms and swiss cheese; vege sticks; fruit
Afternoon tea: hot cocoa with milk; kangaroo sausage, fruit
Dinner (with fish oil and fruit):
* Sat – chicken korma, brown rice, spinach
* Sun – chicken and vegetable soup, noodles
* Mon – leftover chicken and vegetable soup, noodles
* Tues – crockpot meal cooked by Rob
* Wed – crockpot meal cooked by Rob
* Thurs – leftovers from Tuesday night
* Fri – leftovers from Wednesday night
Friday, May 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Sold (almost)
Interview with Skwigg: Non-Food Lunatic, Happy-Go-Lucky, Healthy Blogger
Read an interview with her here.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Measurement Day
So will continue in my current 'holding pattern' while I'm slammed with work. Plan for the next seven days is:
Breakfast: oats, fruit compote, reduced-fat Greek yoghurt, flax oil
Morning tea: coffee with milk; rice protein shake, fruit
Lunch: toasted sandwich with tomato paste, kale, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, and mix of goat and swiss cheeses; vege sticks; fruit
Afternoon tea: rice protein shake with milk, fruit
Dinner (with fish oil and fruit):
* Sat – warm tuna pasta salad with tomato dressing
* Sun – barbecue beef buns, red onions, gherkins
* Mon – leftover barbecue beef, pasta, zucchini
* Tues – chilli beans and rice, silverbeet
* Wed – rich dark beef stew, brussels sprouts
* Thurs – chicken and vegetable soup, noodles
* Fri – out
Most of these are crockpot recipes that Rob will make.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Offer Submitted
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Happy Anniversary!
Monday, May 10, 2010
This Week's Menu
I'm going to be busy this week and may not be able to post regularly. Thought I'd do a quick summary of my menu for the week ahead instead. For simplicity's sake, most of my meals are going to be the same each day, with dinner being the main thing that changes. Here's the plan:
Breakfast: oats, dried fruit, milk, flax oil
Morning tea: rice protein shake with milk, fruit
Lunch: toasted sandwich with tomato paste, spinach, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, and mix of low-fat feta and cheddar cheeses; veggie sticks; fruit
Afternoon tea: same as morning tea
Dinner (with fish oil and fruit):
- Mon – Dahl, brown rice, peas and zucchini
- Tues – Leftover lamb and silverbeet casserole from last week, mopped up with bread
- Wed – Huntsman's Chicken, gluten-free pasta, broccoli
- Thurs – Something with tuna. Haven't decided yet. Any (low fat) suggestions?
- Fri – Leftover dahl, brown rice, veggies
In between I will be juggling two jobs and organising an offer on a house. The latter involves liaising with the lawyer, savings bank, mortgage broker, registry office (so I can buy a house in my married name; apparently the ceremonial certificate you receive on your wedding day is not valid for financial purposes), real estate agent etc. Hope I don't explode!
Have a great week!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Happy Mothers Day!
This morning Rob made me a (strong) coffee with milk, and even took the photo for me:
Then for breakfast I made us fruit French toast. For my portion I sliced a spelt fruit bun into four pieces, soaked it in beaten egg and cooked it in a non-stick pan. Before eating I drizzled it with a little flax seed oil:
Lunch was ryvita crackers with low-fat cheese (two with tomato, two with vegemite), carrot and red pepper sticks, and a mandarin:
Afternoon tea was a shake with choc rice protein, milk and water, and an apple:
Later I had another snack of chocolate rice protein and banana mashed together with a bit of water:
Then I walked to the shops to get some supplies for next week.
When I got home I made up some sandwiches and put them in the freezer for next weeks' lunches. I'll just grab one out each day, take it to work, then put it in the toasted sandwich maker at lunchtime:
For dinner I sautéed together some garlic, red onion and chilli flakes, then added capers, sliced black olives, salsa, drained tuna, pepper and salt and reduced it down a bit. Near the end of cooking I grated in some zucchini. I served it on top of some gluten-free spirals:
I also had half a green apple:
Later I got hungry again so had some more of the tuna dish:
and some celery with almond butter (unpictured)
Weight this morning was down 200g from last Saturday. Girth measurements were the same as last Saturday. Am happy with that since I ate a lot more than usual at the start of the week, and missing a training session yesterday.
For breakfast I had steel cut oats soaked overnight with raisins, then finished off this morning with milk and flax oil:
Morning tea was a shake with milk, water and choc rice protein, and an apple:
I had it on the way to having a second look at the house we are interested in. We had our first look at night time so I wanted to see what it was like during the day. Still keen!
When I got home I had a toasted sandwich with low-fat feta cheese, red onion, mushrooms, olives and pizza paste, plus some carrot and celery sticks, and some dried cranberries:
I had a small afternoon tea as Rob was hungry and wanted an early dinner. Just coffee with milk:
and half a large pear:
We've had a jar of korma paste sitting in the fridge for ages so tonight I made chicken korma. I had mine on steamed silverbeet and topped with coriander:
I had quite a lot of sauce left in the bottom of my bowl, so just added a bit of brown rice to soak it up:
Rob felt like having something sweet tonight. We had two open jars of tahini in the fridge (my bad), so he made Tab's Tahini Balls. We didn't have any LSA, so he rolled them in a mixture of almond meal and sesame seeds. They were very moreish. So I had two lots:
Before bed I had an apple:
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Forgot to mention yesterday that we got tickets to see Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) in June. Really looking forward to it!
Last night I put some steel cut oats and dried cranberries in a pot with a bit of water, brought it to the boil, then turned the heat off and left it covered overnight. This morning I added some soy milk, turned the heat back on to low and cooked until the soy milk was absorbed. I had it topped with a little bit of milk and some flax oil:
I went to the gym this morning but only got as far as doing my foam rolling and mobility exercises. I went to bed too late last night and felt quite tired and negative about my workout while at the gym so I decided to give the rest of my training a miss.
Check out what I picked up at the supermarket on the way home:
Organic skim milk marked down to 94 cents for a litre! (They're close to expiry date, but fine to freeze until needed). I'm going to try using this for a while instead of soy milk and lactose-free milk.
Once I got home I put dinner in the crockpot for tonight:
Then had a coffee with milk:
and a smoothie with choc rice protein, milk and banana:
Lunch was a toasted sandwich with low-fat feta cheese, red onion, red pepper, mushrooms, olives, spinach and pizza paste, plus a carrot and some raisins:
For afternoon tea I had a hot chocolate made with chocolate rice protein, hot water and hot milk, and an apple:
Here's the dinner I prepared earlier - lamb with silverbeet:
And here's my share, with mashed potato and some extra silverbeet:
I also had a mandarin:
Today I received electronic copies of the paperwork for the house from the real estate agent, and emailed them to the lawyer to review before we make an offer. This is the first time we've bought a house in Australia, so want to make sure we're doing everything properly!
Friday, May 7, 2010
We just took TJ out for a short walk along the bike track this morning as it was drizzling. We also had to allow a bit of time to put some drops in his ears when we got back. He's got a bit of gunk in them at the moment – the poor thing keeps shaking his head all the time. Apparently ear problems are quite common in labs.
After playing vet I had oats cooked with water, salt and banana, and topped with banana, soy milk, flax oil and cinnamon. Yum!
For morning tea I had a coffee with lactose-free milk:
a choc rice protein shake and an apple:
Lunch was a toasted sandwich with low-fat feta cheese, artichoke hearts, olives and pizza paste:
some steamed cauli:
and a few dried cranberries:
For afternoon tea I had a hot cocoa with lactose-free milk:
and vanilla rice protein mixed with apple and cinnamon:
Dinner was split pea soup, with toast:
and half a large pear:
Later I had kangaroo sausages (x 2):
some broccoli leftovers:
and a carrot:
Today I started proofreading a book on TV-free activities for kids. I'm enjoying it so far! Next week I will be juggling the proofreading with some in-house work at Lonely Planet. I'd still like to get to the gym if I can, but it will most probably be after work. I've planned a few crockpot meals for next week, so I can just come in the door and eat after training.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
My body seems to be wanting more food (carbs) at night time lately. My preferred workout time at the moment is after breakfast, so usually I'd have most of my carbs around this time. However, I'm ahead of schedule in terms of weight loss so am going to try including more carbs at night time (and a bit less fat elsewhere in my diet) and see how my body responds.
So this morning for breakfast I had low-fat cheese and tomato on sprouted grain toast:
Then I headed off to the gym to do weights plus cross-trainer intervals. Had a great workout today, probably courtesy of all the fruit buns I ate last night!
After training I had a protein shake with lactose-free milk, rice protein and banana:
Lunch was a toasted sandwich with mushrooms, artichoke hearts, low-fat feta cheese and pizza paste:
plus some salad with pineapple:
For afternoon tea I had a rice protein shake and an apple:
Then we went to look at an open home. We liked it and think we will put in an offer on it.
For dinner I made a lentil shepherd's pie with sweet potato topping and a side of broccoli:
I also had a piece of bread to mop up the sauce:
and a bit of fruit salad:
That didn't keep me full for long so I had some oats, raisins and yoghurt (x 2):


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I'm not quite sure how I'm going to do at this baby-making thing. For one, I am totally paranoid that my crusty 37..almost 38 year old eggs, aren't up for the journey. I just keep thinking how ironic it would be that, after bringing 3 beautiful babies into the world for people who weren't able to carry children of their own, that I would now have the same issue. Secondly, I am not the most patient person in the world when it comes to these types of issues. I mean, I have done 5 rounds of IVF during my surrogacy years, and it's pretty cut and dry....you have the embryos implanted, and then about 5 to 7 days later, you start peeing on a stick, and hopefully get to see a big freaking +. Then about a a week later, you head to the Dr's office for a blood draw to tell you what your numbers are (this would be your quantitative HCG test to tell you if you are pregnant...number over 25 means yes, you are pregnant). Then you go back in 2 days later for another (to tell you if your numbers are doubling like they should, which indicates yes, you are pregnant). All of this is referred to as the 2 week wait. Then in about 2 more weeks, you go in for an ultrasound and get a peek at the little one.
Well, needless to say, I thought all of that was hard, but now that I am trying for a little one of my own, I am going out of my mind already. I mean, I am only in the "you should be fertile now" phase, and dealing with all the logistics that I referred to in my last post, and my schedule, and the stress of will I get to be on call one night, and what if we miss my most fertile day, ect., and I am already going bonkers!!!! I know that the Lord has a plan for us, baby or no baby, and I know it will all happen in his time, not mine, and I am trying really hard to leave it to him, but if you know me at all, you know how much of a planner I am, and how I don't do very well if I'm not in control of the situation.
But for now, I guess, I am just in for a whole new week wait. Sigh.
Camp Siloam Part One
3 days ago


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These are our son's children and Nana & Papa are babysitting. They love Nana's spaghetti. I fixed it for them. As with the other grandchildren, we bless the food before we eat. Before we bless the food, however, we choose a Bible Promise to read.
When Mr. D and my children were little we had a small plastic "Our Daily Bread" box with Bible promises in it and our children took turns reading one before meals. It was given to us by our neighbor, affectionately known as "Grandma Daisy." Along the years, it soon got lost in our many moves.
Luckily, I found another one a few years ago at our Lifeway Baptist Bookstore and now we enjoy the tradition with our grandchildren! Even if they can't read, they like to draw out a card and let someone else read it for them.
Here is our10-year-old granddaughter reading a promise. She takes it very seriously. Afterwards, Mr. D (Papa) said the blessing.
Having meals together as a family is so important. I heard on Dr. Dobson last week that children who have meals at home around the table only two nights a week are more likely to take drugs when they are older than those children who have meals at home five nights a week. It's hard to plan menus, cook and get the family all together at one time but it is well worth the effort! Savor those moments!
Now the kids are grown, Mr. D and I still enjoy our meals at the table. We discuss the children, grandchildren, the problems of the world, our jobs, etc.
Just today, after church, I was feeling anxious and a little blue. As I randomly picked a card from the promise box, I gasped! It was my favorite Bible verse! "Peace I leave with you…let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid..." John 14:27. My eyes filled with tears as I read the promise. Thank you, Lord for the reminder! Mr. D blessed the food and all was well.


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Seriously! Where the hell is that fickle little bitch!?!
I have tried doing several different things now to try to get me out of this rut, at the advice of some very helpful ladies, but unfortunately I have yet to write any more than a few words. To date I have set my guys aside and tried my hand at writing a different story (which did work for a little while, but this too is now like pulling blood from a stone). I have watched my favourite movies, anime, and music videos. I have read numerous Yaoi manga, re-read my favourite gay couples in a variety of genres by a variety of authors. Yet still...nothing!
I mean, the story is there, my menfolk are screaming for attention, I know what I want to write but I just can't get the words out! Every time I sit down in front of the laptop to finish my story I draw a blank! It has gotten too much. I need to write. I need to express myself. I need to give Tristan and Joshua their HEA before I can even think of moving on to anyone else!
What should I do? Can anyone help a girl out? Sweet lord!! Get back here you fickle-assed Muse!! Maybe some yummy offerings will lure her back in...


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The point is that what we need are the right ideas, not the right sort of people. Madmen in authority come in all forms, and the dignified men in suits are often no better than the rabble-rousers.In my dissertation, I found that August Hermann Francke was consistent in insisting that anything good resulted from selecting the right man, and he meant man, for the job. The problem was, or became, who selected the right man? Clearly, Krugman is on to the key issue. Unfortunately, there is no standard for right man picking. Francke relied on a combination of evidence of spiritual rebirth and personal knowledge. What standards are we going to come up with today?
I had a conversation the other day with a relative about why the various proponents of not starting WWI were ignored and how we could identify them. Right now, I think, the answer is to never pick someone who has the answer instead of a series of answers to a variety of questions that need immediate solution.


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Day 142
this spot of the little stream looked particularly blue as the sky was reflecting into the water. I just wish it was shot on the ocean. That would mean I would be somewhere warm with sand in my toes!
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As our investigation continues today.
Texarkana ISD and Texas High School are aware of the threat posed against the school, students and staff based upon writings found in the bathroom and on a desk. We are currently investigating the situation and interviewing students who possibly have an association with this threat. Although it is believed to be a prank, student safety is of the utmost importance. As our investigation continues today, we will update you with information on our findings.
Thank you.


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Upper lip, bottom lip. My lips had kept each other company all my life, together in perfect harmony. I never knew a pair of lips could feel lonely until Kiddo cupped my face and gently pressed his lips on mine to complete them. They gave in to his kiss without hesitation, parting all too willingly. His tongue swept against mine, not invading but wooing, almost shy, asking for permission. And it was granted, with all my heart.
"Thank you," he whispered, pausing just long enough to get those two words out.
For what?
I meant to ask it aloud, but I felt too inebriated to speak. The kiss was tender and sweet, and right now I didn't care enough for an answer to break it. His thumbs caressed my cheeks; his fingers brushed the sensitive spots behind my ears. I blissfully sighed into his breath.
"Thank you for forgiving me," he answered my unspoken question as his mouth brushed along my jaw. I wanted to turn my head in an attempt to couple my lips with his again, but my neck was like jelly in his hands. Bending me into shape at his convenience, he kissed my cheek, my temple, my earlobe, and breathed against my ear, "I'm so thankful you're here. I'm so god-awfully thankful you didn't run away, Annie."
I staggered a little and stumbled against his chest. One of his hands quickly went to the small of my back, steadying me. "What... hey, don't fall!"
I fall for you, Kiddo...
"Sorry," I mumbled. With my nose in the dent between his collarbones, I inhaled deeply, delighted with his scent, and giggled. He kissed the top of my head. "I got you, Annie. Are you drunk?"
Punch drunk. Love drunk.
"Beer," I said. Though I knew it wasn't because of the alcohol in my system. This was different. I was getting high on his pure presence and drunk on his ministrations. As if the few hours away from him had zeroed any desensitization to his touch I might have gained during the last two days. His hands and his mouth were poison and medicine all at once, intoxicating and healing. He was…
… like a drug to me. My own, personal brand of heroin.
I felt him shaking his head, and he snorted, "Law!"
"Yes," I said, "he was so warm..." Kiddo stiffened. "It!" I hastily clarified, "I meant 'it' – the beer, it was warm!" Kiddo relaxed.
I felt his head move again, this time he nodded yes. With his face still nestled in my hair, he said, "The fridge is broken." And after a moment, he added, "This is a weird conversation."
"Yes, it is." I answered, and the next moment we both shook with suppressed laughter.
I looked up at him, and when I saw the smile in his beautiful face, the words slipped out from me before I knew it, "I missed you."
His smile faltered and he blinked a few times, just as surprised as I was about my confession. Then his green eyes grew soft; he exhaled loudly and pulled me into a tight embrace. "Annie, I... God, I missed you too!"
Immediately, I felt less like a ragdoll in his arms. My body finally remembered there were arms attached to it too, and knew how to use them. I hugged him back, happily.
Now... am I being good to him, or what?
"Whatever it says, just know, it is ten times worse. I'm a freak even among the freaks."
I let go of Kiddo's laptop and threw my hands up in the air, moaning in mock exasperation, "God, give me a break of that 'freak' shit, will you?" I turned my head to where his chin rested on my shoulder. "Really, it gets boring!"
He took a deep breath. "Can I have an 'ok'?" I asked, hands still up in the air.
"Ok." he said. I leaned back into his chest, reached over my shoulders to pull his head down for a kiss.
"You're not a freak. And now let's get over with this," I said firmly. Then I resumed typing the word 'synesthesia', and hit 'enter'.
After I had filled him in on what Law basically had disclosed to me, Kiddo had been surprisingly calm. He seemed relieved, for whatever reason. Maybe it was because it saved him from telling me those unpleasant stories himself, or maybe it was because hearing about his fucked-up childhood and his current legal problems hadn't scared me away; I couldn't tell. I was just glad that he was cool about it, for a change.
It wasn't even my idea to finally Google his condition. It was him who insisted on doing it. He wanted to get everything straight, or so he had said.
And I am here to be good to him, right?
So here we were. Failing to find any appropriate furnishing for two people to sit, we had settled on Kiddo's bed. He was leaning against the headboard; I was sitting between his slightly bent legs, with my back against his chest and his laptop on my knees. His hands rested on my waist, and as the Wikipedia website popped open on the screen, his thumbs nervously started to draw small circles on my hipbones.
I skimmed through the first paragraph quickly; I wasn't very interested in learning about the Greek origin of the word. There was also an illustration, showing multi-colored letters and numbers. The caption said this might be how a person with synesthesia would perceive them. I pointed at it, but before I could even ask, Kiddo shook his head and said, "Kid stuff!"
I scrolled thru the next paragraph that mainly dealt with the 'kid stuff' form of synesthesia, but got stuck when the article pointed out the difference between the neurological synesthesia that was supposed to be genetic, and an acquired condition that could arise after drug abuse, a stroke or temporal lobe epilepsy.
Again Kiddo seemed to sense what's on my mind. "Genetic," he croaked.
"So it's always been like that? As long as you remember?" I asked.
"Always," he answered.
I nodded and kept on reading, getting more and more confused. This was seriously some scientific shit, and it didn't help me to understand kiddo's particular situation any better. I was getting impatient, but just when I was about to utter my discomfort, I found the following:
'Synesthetes often report that they were unaware their experiences were unusual until they realized other people did not have them, while others report feeling as if they had been keeping a secret their entire lives...'
I remembered what Law had told me and began to understand how hurtful it must have been for the child to discover that he was not only different, but that his being different was considered to be wrong, and even worse: his own fault! I could see his ongoing hard effort to keep it a secret, and it saddened me. Without thinking I reached behind myself to stroke his hair. He sighed. Without a word he brought his hand up and put it on mine on the track pad, guiding my fingers to scroll further down the page. When he stopped and highlighted one single sentence, I read:
'Most synesthetes report that their experiences are pleasant or neutral, although, in rare cases, synesthetes report that their experiences can lead to a degree of sensory overload.'
"Sensory overload?" I asked, "Is that what you are afraid of, when we..." He nodded yes. "And that 'black' thing, when you lose your temper? Sensory overload, too?" Another nod. "Edward, all this is still so confusing, I don't know if I really understand what it is like for you."
His fingers on mine started to move again. This time the cursor on the screen stopped at a paragraph about the various forms of synesthesia; the part he highlighted was headed 'sound/color synesthesia'. This was it?
'...something like fireworks: voice, music, and assorted environmental sounds such as clattering dishes or dog barks trigger color and simple shapes that arise, move around, and then fade when the sound stimulus ends. For some, the stimulus type is limited (e.g., music only, or even just a specific musical key); for others, a wide variety of sounds triggers synesthesia.
Sound often changes the perceived hue, brightness, scintillation, and directional movement. Some individuals see music on a "screen" in front of their face...'
I stopped reading and pointed a finger at the paragraph in question, "Is it like that?"
"Worse," he answered, "but yes, pretty much like that. When I keep it under control, that is."
Relieved that he finally had found his voice again, I clapped the computer shut. I was fed up with all that scientific gobbledygook anyway. "But how do you control it? They say," I tapped on the laptop lid, "those perceptions are completely involuntary!"
"They are wrong," he stated adamantly. "I told you, I'm a fr... special case."
I didn't need to look at him to know that he was frowning his 'special case' frown now. But if he thought he could fall back into his goddamn annoying self-loathing just like that, he didn't know me very well. I was not going to have that. I put the computer aside and turned around, positioning my legs over his and interlacing my fingers in the nape of his neck. "To me, you are a special case for sure, and not in a bad way at all," I told him, smiling. "You know that, right?"
His brows remained furrowed.
Oh come on, Kiddo!
"Can I have a smile, please?" I cooed, wrapping my legs around his hips. "In exchange for a kiss, maybe?" Reluctantly, as if against his will, one corner of his mouth curled up.
There we go!
I didn't know where this girlish tease persona suddenly came from, but if that's what was needed to get what I wanted, I was willing to just blame it on Law's warm beer and bat my lashes all day, if necessary. "That's so much better," I said softly, and leaned forward to kiss him. God, I loved to kiss him! His hands were stroking my thighs, and the familiar heat started to build, not only in my stomach but also...
Focus, Portman!
I pulled my head back a little to break the kiss before I lost my ability to think, and whispered, "Not all of your synesthetic sensations are unpleasant, right?" He licked his lips before he answered, "Right."
I kissed his neck, right under his chin, "Like this, for example... does it have a color?"
He moaned quietly. "No, it is... it has a sound."
I let my hands glide down to his chest, placing more open-mouthed kisses on his neck. "A sound then," I mumbled as I started to unbutton his shirt, "is it a nice one?"
He closed his eyes, and his breath quickened. "Yes, it is." The first button was open.
Without taking my mouth off his skin, I opened button No 2. "But no color, huh? That's too bad, don't you think?" I shoved my hips a bit forward. "What was it the last time, violet? I like violet," I purred and proceeded with button No 3.
His eyes fluttered open. "Please don't do this to me," he sighed, but his body offered no resistance whatsoever. His hands had made it to my waist by now, and he was stroking my ribs with his thumbs.
"Why not?" I asked, finishing button No 4. "Give up control, just for a moment, will you?" And feeling like a true minx, I added pointedly, "LOVE?"
Immediately, his grip on my waist tightened, and he let go a deep groan. "God, Annie... stop. You don't know what you're asking."
I pulled his now open shirt out of his pants, and slowly kissed a path down from his chest to his toned stomach, whispering against his skin, "Why is this so hard for you? What do you need to do in order to put the walls down?"
"Nothing. Just quit the effort to keep them up," he murmured. His chest was heaving. I stopped the kissing and straightened myself to look at him in disbelieve. "That's it? That is all?"
"But I can't, Annie. I will hurt you or… I don't know. It's impossible, I just can't do this." He seemed so very troubled, my girlish playfulness dissolved into thin air. Apparently disgusted with himself, he made a move to lift me off of him. I grabbed both his hands, trying to stop him, and after a small brawl he gave up and slumped against the backrest. "Annie, please…"
He wriggled one hand free from my grip to rub his face and rake through his hair, but his other hand held on tight to mine. He was shaking, or actually more like vibrating, his breath rapid and shallow. I couldn't imagine what he was dreading. "Edward, talk to me."
He kept his eyes on our hands, as he interlaced his fingers with mine, and croaked, "I have no defense for you anyway, Annie. It's such a fine line that keeps me from sensory overload when I'm with you. I'm afraid to lose control. I'm afraid to lose myself altogether, and-"
"But that's how it's supposed to be, don't you know that?" I leaned forward to make him look at me. "It's all about losing yourself, giving up control, and giving yourself away… to the feeling, to the person you're making love to."
He let out a shaky breath, "I don't think I can do that."
"Won't you just try? For me?" He closed his eyes and his forehead crumpled as if he was in pain. "What if we go very slow, step by step?" I suggested. "You don't need to do anything, just relax and let me do all the work, ok?"
A shiver went through his body. "God Annie, I wish I could."
"I know you can. You say that sounds are the strongest trigger? I will not say a single word, I won't make any noises, I promise. I'll just touch you, and..."
I can do that... I think?
"...you can tell me if it is too much. Or you can tell me to stop altogether, at any point."
He kept his eyes closed. A single tear ran from the corner of one eye and down his cheek, as he nodded yes. I gingerly kissed it away. "Don't be afraid," I whispered.
And please... please, don't cry!
It broke my heart to see him like that. In this moment, I wanted nothing more than to take his pain away and to make him feel free. Free of fear. Free of guilt. Free of restraint. I wanted him to be free to feel pleasure, to feel wanted and special in a good way. I wanted him happy.
I kissed the hand that was still interlaced with mine. "Let go for a moment, I need to lock the door, but I'll be right back, ok?" He did as I had said, and I climbed off the bed. As I crossed the snowscape of his room, a bright red spot on the white desk caught my attention. Kiddo's notebook. Its red cover seemed to be screaming at me, as though trying to tell me something important. And when I turned the key in the door that was green only from the outside, but as white from the inside as everything else in this place, it hit me.
I turned around. "Edward?" He opened his eyes, and I spread my arms in a gesture that enclosed the whole room, "Why is everything white in here anyway?" He didn't answer at once, so I slowly walked back to the bed, holding his gaze. "It is a screen, isn't it? This whole room is a screen!" I sat down on the edge of the mattress. "You give up control when you're alone in here, right?"
He swallowed, and then he said, "Yes."
Holy shit!
"So you can do it. You're doing it all the time."
I was dumbfounded. Why hadn't I seen this the moment I had entered this room? It was so obvious what all this white was for. The absence of any color... no distraction, no interference. He had created a space where he could close himself in to secretly relish his visions and sensations, as if they were illegal drugs.
"And you enjoy it when you're all alone here, don't you? You enjoy being able to give up control?"
"I can be... myself for a little while."
God, Kiddo...
I was close to tears. What for Heaven's sake had they done to him? I reached over and pulled the shirt off his shoulders. "Lay down, baby," I said, as he slipped out of the sleeves, "I want you to be yourself with me now."
He sank down onto his back and laid his forearm across his eyes. His hands were clenched into tight fists. I sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.
If he would only stop shaking like that...
I climbed onto the bed and started to unbutton his jeans. "Try to relax. Everything will be alright," I spoke softly, as I pulled his jeans and boxers down. Other than his troubled mind, his body seemed to know there was nothing to be afraid of. He was rock-hard, and I needed to remind myself to go slow. I stripped off my own clothes, pulled the rubberband out of my hair and lay down next to him. Bracing myself on one elbow, I let my hand ghost over his stomach. "Are you ready?"
"No," he said.
"You look ready enough to me," I teased. He said nothing. "Do you want me to be silent now?"
"No, please... if it is not asking too much, keep on talking to me."
I gently touched his arm. "Edward, love..." I heard another groan rumble through his chest, "please look at me." Reluctantly, he lifted his arm off his face, turned to me and opened his eyes; they were moist with tears.
"Do you trust me?" I asked him.
"I don't trust myself, Annie."
I stroked his face. "Please do. Don't you know how adorable you are, inside and out? That beautiful mind of yours... so captivating. It's just part of what makes you lovable and desirable. You're such an utterly good person, Edward, and you deserve happiness."
With a gasp, he knit his brows and squeezed his eyes shut. Worried that he was about to cry again, I continued, "Let me try to make you happy, Edward. I want it so bad, but I need your help. I need you to open up to me. Please try to relax, just like you do when you're alone in here. Will you?"
"I'll try," he promised.
"That's all I'm asking." I climbed on top of him to straddle his hips. Immediately, his breath became labored and his shaking increased. "Shhh... it's alright. Remember how great we were together in my apartment; remember how good it felt..."
Although the memory got me worked up, it actually seemed to help Kiddo to calm down. He gave me a faint smile and whispered, "Yes." For a moment, I was totally absorbed in the sight of him lying under me... the rise of his chest when he inhaled deeply through his open mouth, and its fall when he exhaled with a quiet, but audible little moan. The slow rhythm was hypnotizing…
With some effort, I turned my attention back to his face. His green eyes pierced into mine, intense. And although his trembling had considerably decreased, I could tell his 'walls' weren't down yet. I knew his gaze wouldn't be that steady, but rather wandering around restlessly, following fireworks and patterns only he could perceive. I had seen him doing it before. But right now, he was still clinging to the bars of his self-made prison.
"Will you tell me when they're down?" I didn't need to explain 'they' for him to know what I was talking about. He nodded yes and licked his lips. Then he reached out his arms for me.
I let myself fall forward and hungrily devoured his mouth. His hands weaved through my open hair that fell around our faces like a heavy, dark curtain, sheltering us from the blinding white outside. For a few moments, we were nothing but lips and tongues. He moaned and bucked his hips under me, and I could feel the velvet skin of his erection twitch against my bottom, the sensation sending hot sparks down my spine.
Easy, Portman... slow...
I pulled my mouth off of his, and once again, I locked eyes with him, silently willing him to surrender. We both stayed perfectly still, even his hands in my hair had stopped moving, and I more mouthed than whispered, "Let go, baby. Please... for me. We will be alright."
He took a deep breath and exhaled through pursed lips, three times, in quick succession, like a free diver preparing for the deepest depths of the ocean. And then I saw it happen. His eyes lost focus and his jaw slightly dropped. His hands in my hair resumed their movements and he pulled my head down to kiss me. When our tongues met, he moaned loudly into my mouth, and the sound made my insides explode with heat.
When the kiss ended and I pulled back, we were both gasping for air. His eyes were hooded, and the familiar wandering began... I could see him focus on spots to the left and to the right of me, above and behind me. He was glowing, his angel face more beautiful than ever, registering serene delight in one second, and amazement and wonder in the next. It was a sight to behold.
His hands went to my face, grazing along its features like the hands of a blind man; touching, exploring, learning, drawing a memory map of my face. His gaze was now fixed on a spot three inches in front of me, and a single sound fell from his smiling lips, half a laugh and half a gasp. He was in rapture, and time seemed to stand still as I watched him, entirely enchanted.
I was dying to know what he was seeing, but I didn't dare to ask, too worried to interfere. After a while, his hands seemed to be saturated with knowledge about my face and continued their journey down my neck and shoulders, until they came to rest on my breasts. I felt it was ok to move and straightened myself up a bit to give him easier access. His breath hitched, and so did mine as I reached behind myself and wrapped my hand around his hard length. When I started to stroke him, a great moan erupted from his chest. His eyes widened, drawn to some visual wonder somewhere at the ceiling, and then he sighed, "Oh..."
Encouraged, I lifted myself up a little until I felt the tip of his cock skim my soaking wet entrance. His hips were rocking underneath me, and I knew it would be alright. I wanted him badly; the thought of him cumming inside of me made me dizzy. I took his hands and guided them to my hips. His gaze, which had been fixed on a distant spot somewhere above me, was now slowly following some invisible trail back down to my face. When it arrived there, I slowly pressed down, and with a quiet whimper I buried him deep inside of me.
I struggled to keep my eyes open at the sensation of him stretching me, filling me completely. It was just too good, I couldn't keep myself from moaning.
And that was it –I saw something flicker in his eyes; he blinked a few times rapidly and then he gasped loudly, "Stop!" His hands gripped my hips, hard, forcing me to freeze. Adrenaline flooded my system and I was back down to earth in a blink.
No, please no...
We stared at each other, panting heavily.
"Don't move," he said.
"Ok," I answered.
The seconds were ticking by. I couldn't believe the blissful bubble had burst just like that. I tried to shift my hips, but his grip was viselike. "Edward, you're h..."
Don't say 'hurting me', Dumbass!
"...you're holding me too tight. Please?"
He let go immediately and pulled his hands back as if something had burned them. I reached out for them and interlaced our fingers. "It's ok, I'm alright," I assured him. "What happened? Have I done something wrong?"
"God, no!" He closed his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Annie. I just... I need a minute. Please, I can't -"
"Shhhh," I said, and he stopped his apology and swallowed. "You were doing so great, Edward. It was absolutely wonderful to be with you like that. It's ok, just take your time." A brief shudder went through him, and he opened his eyes. I could see doubt and fear in them, but also a silent pleading.
I guided his hands back to my hips and said, "I won't move, unless you tell me to, ok? But baby, I won't give up on you either. I want you to relax and to be yourself, because..." I bent forward and rested on my elbows, the curtain of my hair fanning out around our faces again, and continued, "because your true self is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, Edward."
He let go a shattered breath, and whispered, "Annie... you don't know the meaning of 'beautiful' if you haven't seen yourself the way I do." His eyes grew darker and began to glaze over again. He was breathing calmly now, slow but deep breaths, in... out... in... "You are breathtaking, Annie. I have no words to describe the beauty of your true colors, the way they are wrapped around you, woven through you..."
Oh, Kiddo...
I tilted my head down to kiss him and his lips welcomed me, soft and warm. His hands on my hips came to life, lifting me up a bit, and his own hips started to move in a slow rhythm. He moaned quietly and pulled his mouth from mine. This time he whispered so low, I had to read his lips to understand what he was saying. "You are sparkling like a thousand diamonds, and your body sings to me."
God yes, my body is singing operas...
My eyes fluttered close. The sensation of him finally moving in me, together with those words that flowed from his lips like honey, captivated my entire being. I was his, head to toe. And I could tell he had submitted his body and soul to me by the same token, eventually trusting in himself, in us.
He kept on moving underneath me, maintaining the gentle rhythm, but entering me deeper now, and I rocked my own hips to meet his thrusts. It was a different sort of lovemaking... slow, intimate and incredibly intense. Not even our breathing would pick up pace; it just got louder, intensified and more an more mingled with quiet noises of pleasure.
With some effort, I opened my eyes.
Kiddo was looking at me... and then again, he wasn't. His eyes were moving rapidly, not only following whatever miracles his exceptionally gifted mind projected onto the white screens of his room, but also shifting back and forth between his visions and reality. I saw his pupils dilate and contract alternately, deliberately meeting my gaze again and again. Tears were rolling down his temples and got lost in his hair. His chest was heaving.
"Annie..." he whispered again.
"What is it, love, are you ok?" I asked between heavy breaths.
"Oh, God..." he moaned, "Annie... "
"I love you."
I rested my forehead against his and whispered to him, "Of course you do..."
His eyes fell shut. "Annie... I love you, I love you so much... oh God... oh, my God..." I straightened myself as he thrust into me forcefully one last time. He drew in a deep breath, and then he stopped breathing at all and threw his head back. His mouth opened wide, as if to cry out, but no sound emerged. I felt his cock pulsate and pump inside of me, again and again. Without taking my eyes off of his face, which had come undone in ecstasy, I reached down to rub against myself, and within seconds, I was close.
When his long, unbridled cry finally forged ahead, it was all I needed to fall over the edge. I whimpered his name and collapsed on top of him, before his cry ended. But when it did, he wrapped his arms around me, clinging onto my body like a drowning man, with his face nestled against my shoulder. I put my arms around his neck and held him tight, while he still moaned and panted.
After a while, our breathing slowed down and he rolled us onto our sides, but didn't let go of me. I stroked his hair, and asked softly, "Are you alright, Kiddo?"
He didn't move, and it took him a few moments to answer. And then he simply said, "Yes." After yet a few more moments, he whispered, "Thank you." And then his shoulders started to shake, slightly first, but more frantic by the minute.
I kissed his hair and said, "It's alright; cry if you must, it's a good thing." His embrace grew tighter, and he gave a brief groan. "You have to get this out of you, it's ok..." I continued softly, "don't hold back, don't ever hold back again... let it all out. I'll be here as long as you need me."
When he finally went to pieces in my arms, he kept on sobbing helplessly for a long time. I knew it was necessary. And I knew it was healing. I had no idea how many tears were needed to wash away years of painful self-denial and constant fear and misguided attempts to be a 'normal person'. But I knew it was a start. He would be better after this.
He had said he was alright. He had said, 'thank you'.
He had also said that he loved me.
But people say a lot in the throes of passion.
Don't they?


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Welcome to the Ashton Photography Blog. A place for us to share our work with our clients, friends and fellow photographers. We love creating great images that capture your day, weddings are so much fun! We hope you enjoy looking through our blog and photographs.
Friday, 11 January 2008
New Wedding Show Reel Available
We have just today finished work on our new 2008 wedding show reel. We found our clients last year loved seeing samples of our work in DVD format so this year we have added a full selection of 2008 weddings and a brand new portfolio of wedding photographs.
I would also like to thank Singer and song writer Stephen Bayliss who provided a fantastic selection of music for our DVD. Stephen is without doubt our favourite wedding entertainer. If you would like more details about Stephen Bayliss please visit his website at www.stephenbayliss.co.uk
If you would like a copy of our wedding DVD please contact our office via the web site www.ashtonphotography.co.uk
Just for the ladies here is a photograph of Stephen performing at one of our weddings in October last year.
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We had a couple of really fun activities today in room 19. First of all, we went to the auditorium for a production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas done by the students in room 17. Since many of our students had had Mrs. Caruso as their third grade teacher, this was a familiar script. All the students did a good job.
It was a particular pleasure to see Eve Whitman, Mrs. Caruso's daughter, as the accompanist. She is a room 19 alumna now at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.
After recess, in Science, the students explored magnetism. They had a bag of test objects and they check to see which ones a magnet would stick to. When they were done, they figured out that magnets only stick to iron and to other magnets.
In the afternoon, we had sock ball for PE since room 17 was too tired to come and and do the usual rotations. We worked in math on estimations - never an easy skill for students, but they seemed to do pretty well with it.
Homework: (1) Sort spelling words by digraph. Some words have both vowel and consonant digraphs: put them in as many categories as apply. (2) Do "Estimating Quotients," pages 160-161 in the math book.
Students also took home a field trip form for Wednesday. We're just going up to Fremont Library to check in and check out some books: no presentation by the children's librarian this time.