text:
Title: Hello Bee
Characters: Gideon West and Andrew Farthingdale
Warnings: Much more silliness. It's been a silly weekend. And apologies to the vicar of dibley. ;) This story owes very much to Cat who cast and set this for me, and who I'd back against the women's institute any day.
Mrs Dunwoodie, pillar of the village Women's Institute, four times winner of the Best HomeMade Fruit Jam award and acknowledged local champion of Properly Risen Scones at the village fete, had her long and pointed nose pressed firmly against Mrs Ackwell's kitchen window.
This was purely because Mrs Ackwell, trying to get Her Fred's packed lunch finished for him to take to work and upto her elbows in tuna, hadn't yet responded to the tap on the glass and opened the door. Eventually Mr Ackwell, haunted by the nose and beady eyes glaring at him over his toast and marmalade, got up and padded across in socks and braces to open the door for her.
"Morning Bella."
Mrs Dunwoodie, who did not approve of men eating breakfast in their vests, ignored him with superb dignity and scuttled across to his harrassed wife.
"You'll never guess what Aggie! There's a removal van pulled up at the vicarage!"
"Amazing." Mr Ackwell said with heavy sarcasm. "The vicar moving into the vicarage, whatever next."
"And TWO cars with it, one of them battered old cockroach type things, and one big red one with the roof down!"
"Cockroach?" Mrs Ackwell said, bewildered.
"Beetle. VW beetle." Her husband said without looking up.
Mrs Dunwoodie, feeling her news was not being taken with proper seriousness, upped the ante once more.
"AND that beetle car was pink. PINK. Do you think it's the bishop visiting to meet him?"
"I don't think the bishop drives a pink beetle." Mrs Ackwell said feebly, wrapping sandwiches in foil. Mrs Dunwoodie shook her head impatiently, nearly dislodging her hat.
"No, the convertible! That big shiny red thing! Do you think it's the bishop? If it's the bishop we ought to do SOMETHING, take some flowers over or a nice pot of jam,"
"Be nice to do that for the vicar, never mind the bishop." Mr Ackwell said dryly. "The parish was empty long enough, we ought to be proper grateful to him for taking on the job."
"But the BISHOP-" Mrs Dunwoodie said, undaunted. "Can I have some scissors Ag? I'll just cut a NICE bunch of flowers and take them over just in case-"
"Not my daffs you won't." Mr Ackwell said firmly. "You cut your own flowers Bella Dunwoodie."
Toast abandoned, he got up and shouldered into a shirt, doing up the buttons with careful deliberation.
"You take some scones or cake over Ag if you want to, I'll put my head over the hedge and see if they want any help shifting things. We should make the poor feller feel welcome."
"With your baking he'll be hardly encouraged, will he?" Mrs Dunwoodie said nippily. Mr Ackwell kissed his wife and took the sandwiches.
"Put up a scone for me too my girl while you're at it. Always say there's no one in the county can make a scone as light as you can."
Pocketing the scone and pulling on his jacket, he gave a cheerful nod to their bristling guest and headed for the door. "Mind how you go Bella."
The sun was full on the street outside, reflecting off the red brick cottages that led down to the small village green and the church. Mr Ackwell stamped his boots to comfort, buttoned his jacket and crossed the road. There were no pavements in Much Magden village. The streets were little more than lanes, asphalt with a light dusting of sand and gravel, and the low wall around the church yard was more for decoration than a boundary. Mr Ackwell stepped over it and passed the little weathered church, moving between the battered and mostly illegible tombstones that stood around it, and down the short slope that led to the rectory itself. On the Parish noticeboard there was a sign that for several weeks now had been attracting attention throughout the village.
"The post of Vicar to this parish has been taken by the Reverend Andrew Farthingdale, position to be taken up March 3rd 2004."
There was indeed a large removal van outside the rectory, but no sign of action. And in front of it, just as predicted by Mrs Dunwoodie, was parked an old and battered- and pink- VW beetle, beside a highly polished and immaculate, red jaguar convertible. The rectory gate, weathered with age and a strange brown grey colour, stood closed, and the chin high hedge, kept neatly trimmed by the church wardens, concealed the front door. All that could be heard was a strange and faint swishing sound. Mr Ackwell put his chin over the hedge and cleared his throat.
"Good morning."
A long, angular man with a sword in his hand, half crouched with his other hand arched over his head, looked up and then without a trace of embarrassment, stood upright and flicked the sword before his face in a gesture of salute.
"Good morning."
He had a deep, resonant voice and dark eyes that surveyed Mr Ackwell from between equally dark and somewhat tousled hair and an immaculate moustache. He was wearing white flannels, a white shirt open at the collar and a tan coloured waistcoat, which went impeccably with his black, polished riding boots. The effect overall was of a Byronic hero escaped from a Jane Austen film set, and it gave Mr Ackwell a moment of serious pause, used to village cords and tweeds.
"Good morning." He said again feebly. The man smiled and strode down the ragged and overgrown garden towards him, offering a hand over the hedge.
"Gideon West."
"So you're not the vicar?" Mr Ackwell said equally feebly. Another thought struck him. "You're not the bishop are you?"
"No, no." The man gripped his hand firmly. "I'm the vicar's husband. Or wife if that's more convenient." He quirked one eyebrow at Mr Ackwell, eyes glinting. "I have read up on my duties. I can make scones. I understand that's requisite for the vicar's wife in a rural parish. Also flower arranging, jam making, bee keeping and if necessary leading the Women's Insitute, I'm quite prepared."
Mr Ackwell looked blankly at him. The man smiled and glanced back towards the house, lifting his voice.
There was a crash from inside the house, a number of thuds, and then one of the sash windows slid up and a young man in jeans and a blue silk shirt vaulted out and brushed off his hands. He was more squarely built than his partner, not exactly plump but with a soft roundness to him, and he jogged across the grass with an easy grace that disarranged the heavy fair hair across his forehead. Mr Ackwell took in happy, bright blue eyes and an engaging, choir boy face before he was hit with the full bounce of an Andrew smile that froze him to the spot.
"Hello!" He took Mr Ackwell's hand and pumped it up and down, looking somewhere between excited and earnest, as though he was confiding some kind of crazy secret.
"Hello! I'm the vicar! Andrew Farthingdale." He released Mr Ackwell's hand and stepped back, dancing on the spot for a moment to some internal tune, hands and hips gyrating, whole body moving with a contained energy.
"Da dada da dah- well! This is exciting isn't it? Have you met my partner? This is Gideon," he went on charmingly with the air of his best party manners, indicating the dark man with both hands, "And Gideon this is- I have NO idea of your name?"
"Fred Ackwell." Mr Ackwell said, starting to smile. "One of the church wardens. I just came along to see if you'd be wanting any help this morning."
"How kind!" Andrew's smile shone back at full beam. "We've just got here you see and you've never SEEN such a mess, and half the doors are stuck and we can't even find where to turn on the water. Really. And Gideon got SO brassed off that he found his sword - only to practice, he wouldn't actually USE it-"
"I might." Gideon said thoughtfully. "If they keep dropping boxes."
"And now the removal men won't go near him-" Andrew continued without pausing for breath. "So it's all rather difficult-"
"The doors aren't stuck, just locked, and the keys are in the kitchen pantry." Mr Ackwell said paternally, breaking into the chatter. There was something about Andrew's bright eyes and the tumbling over speech that made him slow his own speech down to sound calming. "I know where they are son, I'll come and unlock for you and put the water back on. The rectory was empty that long that we didn't want pipes bursting."
"That's extremely kind of you Mr Ackwell." Gideon tucked his sword under his arm and opened the rusting gate. "I do hope we're not holding you up from work?"
"No- not at all." Mr Ackwell came up the path, treading carefully over the broken paving slabs. "I'm hedge trimming today and it doesn't matter when I start so long as it gets done."
"Well we'd absolutely love your help if you're sure you can spare the time. This is so kind of you!" Andrew dug through his pockets for a key and then gave his partner a rather helpless look. "Although this DOES look like meaning getting in through a window, I appear to be somewhat keyless. Would you mind getting through a window? They're quite LARGE windows."
"It was the BEST butter." Gideon murmured, polishing his sword with his sleeve.
Mr Ackwell looked once more between the two men and thought of Mrs Dunwoodie. And his smile grew still wider.
"It'll be a real pleasure Vicar."
The rectory had been built in the days when families were respectably expected to contain a minimum of three to five children and several servants. As a result it was large, draughty and echoey with several long stone passageways downstairs and numerous bedrooms.
"Well that's groovy." Andrew had said cheerfully when given the parish description of the house. "We can have a bedroom and a dressing room and an ante room and a sewing room and a music room and a library-"
The library seemed a good idea. Gideon inspected the downstairs rooms and appropriated one at the front of the house with an open fire, in which he requested the removal men to put the bookcases and numerous crates of books, his desk and chair and computer. Upstairs, Andrew was conducting an orchestra of removal men and steadily streaming furniture into different rooms according to his own formula and Gideon left him to it, merely indicating an old box room off the scullery to be used as a junk room with anything left spare. Considering their flat in London had not been large, Andrew was likely to run out of furniture before too much longer anyway. Finding a carefully packed and wrapped crate, about six foot by two foot in length, Gideon prised it open and began to take out the several bows and swords it contained, unwrapping each and hanging them carefully on the wall. He had the last of them up when Andrew bounced downstairs and put his head around the door.
"Gay? Would you like to choose a bedroom?"
"You mean you haven't?" Gideon said wryly. Andrew grinned.
"Well yes, but come and tell me if it's all allright? You see if it isn't then there are the others, but some of them are smaller and none of them are quite as light, which is fine if you don't LIKE the light shining in on you in the morning, but then there's the view to take into consideration TOO-"
The removal men were in the kitchen around the table and the packing cases, drinking tea. Gideon took Andrew's hand and followed him upstairs. Andrew had predictably chosen the sunniest of the rooms as theirs, the one which overlooked the church, and he'd positioned the furniture already, the large double bed directly opposite the sash windows. Two of the other rooms were already set up as guest rooms, and the third showed signs of becoming a dressing room from the packing cases set in it.
"And downstairs," Andrew went on, ticking them off on his fingers, "We need your study, my office, you'll need a studio for teaching and then the sitting room, so I thought you could have the FRONT parlour for the studio where you can have the floorboards-"
Gideon unhurriedly nudged the door closed and went back to his partner, running his hands slowly and heavily down the silk shirt from shoulders to waist. Andrew revelled in this kind of chaos. Any challenge, especially to organisation or creativity, made his eyes shine and his energy overflow in all directions. And his tongue run on like a hyperactive whippet.
"…..and the LOUNGE," Andrew was carrying on, regardless, "has this open fire which is totally amazing- did you SEE the open fire?? - And which-"
He broke off, finding himself nose to nose with his partner, and blinked.
Gideon put a hand over his shoulder to lean against the wall and kissed him, thoroughly and with care. He was aware of Andrew drawing breath once or twice to talk, and then changing his mind, and finally of Andrew's arms lifting to close around his neck. Without much effort he wrapped his own arm around Andrew's torso and without breaking contact took the few steps across to the bed, lowering them both to sprawl more comfortably across the mattress in the sunshine.
It was some time before he moved back, and when he did it was to lie on one elbow, the other hand rubbing gently and deeply across Andrew's exposed throat and shoulder, the silk shirt collar wide open. Andrew, eyes closed, lay like a cat, arms stretched above him, purring quietly. Gideon propped his head on his hand and watched him, enjoying the feel of the fabric over Andrew's skin as much as touching his lover himself. Andrew loved tactile fabrics and bright colours, silks, satins and velvets. In a few days their house would burst with colour as he unpacked and arranged.
"You do realise," Andrew said without opening his eyes, "That there isn't a gym for twenty miles?"
Gideon raised an eyebrow, tracing a finger along his collar bone. "Well since I don't use a gym, and you take out incredibly expensive membership but never once actually enter the building, I don't think that's likely to be an overwhelming difficulty."
"I can take membership of any gym I like like that, I could join a gym in Switzerland if I don't have to actually go, it's very exclusive stuff."
"I think they beat you with birch twigs in Swiss gyms."
"Well I'm open to new ideas…." Andrew said absently. And then looked up at him, wincing. "I keep thinking, oh HECK what have I done? I mean from London to here, the middle of NOWHERE-"
"You always wanted a rural parish." Gideon reminded him. "Somewhere that didn't have all the services to hand. A different style of community. A closer contact with the entire community."
"There's a school. Did you see the school? It must house all of fifty children." Andrew opened his eyes, a deeper blue and faintly anxious. "Gay? Are you going to be bored to death here? Are you SURE you won't hate it?"
Gideon leaned down and kissed him again, more gently. "I won't hate it."
"You're sure you can work from here?"
"We're not far from the motorway, it's not THAT out in the middle of nowhere."
"Are you sure your clients will come to some gothic rectory in the middle of Wuthering Heights-?" Andrew broke off, the sparkle coming back to his eyes. "Did you SEE that graveyard?"
"I did and they'll come." Gideon ran a hand down over his stomach and patted. "How about we get rid of the removal men and think about lunch?"
"I'm dieting." Andrew said automatically, rolling to his feet and trailing him downstairs. "I'll have slim fast or something when I find it, it's in the box with the kitchen stuff."
"Do that and by three o clock you'll be mowing your way through mars bars." Gideon said firmly. "And then I'LL beat you with birch twigs. Naked on the front lawn, tied to that horrendous apple tree."
"You kinky devil. Anyway I won't," Andrew pointed out, heading into the kitchen. "I don't think there's anywhere for miles that sells mars bars- hello?"
An elderly woman in a ferocious hat was arranging daffodils in a vase on the kitchen table. Or had been. She was currently poised in shock, looking at the two men like a rabbit trapped in the headlights. The removal men were gone. Andrew gave her a friendly smile, well aware she'd most likely heard their conversation.
"Dunwoodie." The woman unfroze a little and gave Gideon a shocked glance. "I was looking for the vicar-"
"Mrs Dunwoodie! Hello! I'm the vicar." Andrew took her hand with his most charming smile.
BLUE silk shirt! Mrs Dunwoodie's internal voice mail registered. BLUE silk shirt and not one SIGHT of a dog collar!
"How kind of you to visit Mrs Dunwoodie, I'm afraid we're in a bit of a mess this morning."
BIRCH twigs. And on the FRONT LAWN……!
"Vicar-" Mrs Dunwoodie began in shock.
"Andrew. Please." Andrew pulled out a chair. "This is my partner Gideon. Would you like a cup of tea Mrs Dunwoodie?"
Gideon gave her one of his more discreet smiles. From a height of six foot two and through slightly hooded eyes many people found that more than a little intimidating. Mrs Dunwoodie retreated.
"No Vicar, I can't- stay- I just thought I'd-"
"Very nice to see you." Andrew said, following her to the door, "Do please drop by again, thankyou so much for the flowers!"
The cloud of outraged dust behind Mrs Dunwoodie raised higher as she scuttled down the rectory path, up the street and straight into the post office where several of her acquaintances were buying their morning groceries.
"You'll never GUESS what's going on at the rectory……..!"
"They seem like a nice couple of fellers." Mr Ackwell said peaceably at dinnertime. "The vicar can talk for England but that Gideon's got his head screwed on, he showed me some of his sword collection."
"But swords, Fred!" Mrs Ackwell said, peering down the street towards the rectory. "What does a man want with swords? And Bella said they're both queer-"
"Well it stands to reason they both would be if they're living together." Mr Ackwell pointed out, digging into his shepherd's pie.
"But you can't have a gay vicar Fred!"
"Seems to me it shouldn't make a difference on how he does his job. You wouldn't think twice if he'd moved in there with a wife, would you?"
"It's not the same!" Mrs Ackwell said in hushed protest, "We've never had anyone like that in the village! And did you HEAR what Bella said they were planning? CAVORTING on the front lawn she said, NAKED, bold as brass with her in the house-"
"Well if it's going to make old Ma Dunwoodie stop and think a bit then I'm all for it." Mr Ackwell said frankly. "She drove the last Vicar nearly mental with her running in and out of the rectory like she owned it, and her do this and do that. Thinks she runs the blooming parish. Like to see her try to run these two! You drop in and say hello love, and take no notice of Bella, they're nice lads both of them. I'll tell you what too, I'll bet everyone's still awake by the end of the sermon on Sunday. Bit of new blood and someone young, that's what we need around here."
Sam Broadbent and Joe Thatcher, who were what passed for Much Magden's answer to odd job men, window cleaners, ditch diggers, crate shifters, rubbish removers and rag and bone men, were on their way down to the Pig and Whistle at eight pm when they passed the Rectory.
By nine pm they were both well oiled on pints bought by a fascinated crowd surrounding them, listening to the tales of debauchery they'd witnessed there.
"Just as we passed the hedge," Joe said, eyes still wide over his pint, "All lit up like a gin palace it were, every window lit and no curtains, and music thumping out-"
"What kind of music were it Joe?"
"Somethin' about getting knocked down but getting back up again," Sam said in tones of deep horror, "And pissing the night away- and him the vicar!"
"And then this car sweeps up," Joe went on, not to be outdone, "This blue striped thing like an 'umbug it was, and two fellers get out, and one of 'em's wearing makeup!"
"NO!" went the crowd in delighted horror and bought more beer.
"Yes!" Sam vouchsafed with ghoulish satisfaction. "All foundation and eyeliner, and this little dog with them. And that big man in the moustache, he comes out, and the three of them kiss on the lawn like Rhett Butler and Scarlett Oo flipping Hara."
"It's true! True as I stand here, all three on 'em. On the lawn. And then the vicar comes running out and throws himself down on the path to 'ave a cuddle with that little dog and I says to Joe, you know what? You know what Joe? That there bloody dog's wearing a bloody leather jacket."
The shocked silence that greeted that statement gave Sam Broadbent more satisfaction than any one of the pheasants he'd ever poached off Much Magden land.
"Darcy left his wallet on the table." Gideon commented, dropping it into Andrew's lap on the way to the bathroom. Andrew, wearing very little and no less to Gideon's taste for doing so, rolled over onto his stomach and opened it, whistling softly.
"WELL… black and ribbed… strawberry flavoured…. Gold Olympic Special.. no wonder Pete's strutting about like the cat with the canary."
"Will he need it? Should we ring?"
"There's only the incriminating evidence and a fiver in it, he'll live." Andrew tossed it across to the dressing table and flopped back down on the bed. "I told him to put it in his coat pocket when he suggested playing twister."
"Possibly we need curtains installed before we try that again." Gideon said dryly.
"Only because you're no good at it."
"I saw the face of that woman with the ferret nose, she looked ready to have a fit." Gideon returned, bare chested, and sat down to unfasten his boots. "Although why she keeps on peering in the windows- hey." He leaned over to prod Andrew in the ribs, making him squirm sleepily. "Clean your teeth before you fall asleep there."
Andrew edged out of reach of the poking and slowly got to his feet, smiling at the small liver and white King Charles Spaniel that promptly got up to follow him.
"Come on Pilate. Come on baby."
The dog pattered after him into the bathroom. Several choruses of something loud and vaguely tuneful came from the direction of the front of the house. Gideon got to his feet and went to the window, pushing up the sash to lean out. Two men, propping each other up, were staggering through the churchyard, singing solemnly and with great purpose.
"Oh my eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord He is trampling on the vineyard where the grapes of wrath are stored…"
"Not hard enough or soon enough." Gideon commented, and shut the window.
"Who is it?" Andrew inquired, coming back to bed in nothing more than blue silk boxers. Gideon snapped the light off and climbed under the covers.
"The pub emptying. Put something on, you'll freeze."
"I can't find anything, it's all packed still."
"Then put something of mine on."
"Yours is all packed too."
There was a thump as Andrew knelt on the floorboards. Gideon glanced up and saw the outline in front of the window, elbows propped on the sill.
"Are you praying or spectating?"
"Both actually." Andrew said cheerfully. "Few people know this but the two things are not actually mutually exclusive. There is nothing, anywhere, in any religious text to my knowledge that specifies exactly WHAT one should be doing while-"
"I'm going to sleep now Andrew."
"I'm praying for you then?"
"I'll leave it in your capable hands." Gideon said, turning over.
He was woken ten minutes later by Andrew's freezing cold feet and hands as he dived under the covers, closely followed by the dog.
"I'm done, you're covered for another night."
"Thankyou." Gideon shifted to accommodate Andrew and pointed at the floor. "Pilate, in your basket."
"It's packed."
"He is not sleeping on the bed."
"It's COLD downstairs, and half the lights don't work and I DID look everywhere while I was down there so-"
"END of the bed." Gideon interrupted, pointing. Pilate slunk to the end of the bed and curled up. And waited until Gideon's breathing became regular before he slid on his stomach in the direction of the beckoning hand, nipped under the covers and settled, with a sigh of contentment, between the two men.
Jo Dickson, the teacher of the infants class at Much Magden's infants school, was standing at the end of the playground and ringing the handbell when three members of her class skidded to a halt in front of her.
"Miss! Miss! The vicar's there with his little dog!"
Does it have a leather jacket on? Jo just prevented herself asking in time. Her husband had been in the pub the night Sam Broadbent had been telling his tales. She lowered the bell and came face to face with Andrew's shattering smile and the enthusiastic attentions of a small spaniel.
"It's Pontius Pilate." Andrew explained apologetically as she stooped to return the dog's advances. "He has a lot to live down, so he tries hard. I'm Andrew Farthingdale."
"The new vicar." Jo straightened and took his hand, her smile rapidly becoming genuine as she took in the liveliness of the face above her. "I'm Jo Dickinson, I'm on the parish council."
"And you teach? You teach here? What a beautiful school. I'm just passing, I thought I'd stop and say hello."
"Come in and meet the children?" Jo suggested. Andrew scooped the dog up and followed her across the small playground.
"Is that allright? What about the head teacher?"
"We don't actually have one at the moment." Jo said apologetically. "There's me, and there's Helen Fox who teaches the big class- key stage two- and at the moment I and the chair of governors run the school. Ofsted are on our heels about it, but it's hard to make an appointment out here."
"I heard the vicar post was empty for over a year." Andrew said ruefully. Jo nodded, opening the heavy door into the Victorian brick building.
"It was. We've been cobbling together services for months with occasional visits from the Little Beresford parish vicar. And the parish council is also the school board of governors, there just aren't enough people to make up separate bodies-" she lifted her voice to attract the attention of the fourteen chattering five to seven year olds sitting on the carpet by the teacher's desk. "Children, this is-"
She paused, looking to Andrew for help. "What would you like them to call you?"
"Andrew?" Andrew suggested. She shook her head faintly at him and turned back to the children.
"This is the new vicar. Kevin, get the vicar a chair- we were just about to have news time, I hope you'll join us? Who's going to start?"
Jo took a chair at the front of the group and looked down into the sea of faces as Andrew perched on a child's chair at the back. Fourteen hands shot into the air. Jo smiled at the nearest.
"Christopher. What's your weekend news?"
The small boy at the front with missing front teeth gave her an earnest stare and leaned forward to whisper loudly.
"I've got a blue jumper on."
"Yes." Jo said patiently. "What's your news? What did you do over the weekend?"
"My dad got a new cow!" a little girl at the back shouted joyfully. "It's all brown except for the white bits!"
"What's your cow's name?" Andrew asked, smiling at her. The little girl beamed at the recognition.
"Mrs Dunwoodie! Cos my dad says she's a real-"
"That's nice Sarah." Jo said hastily. "Anyone else got any nice news?"
"My brother ate my fish." A little boy near the front confided, gazing at Andrew. "But it's ok cos Mum said it was dead anyway."
"Miss?" another little girl with brown bunches said anxiously. "The vicar's little dog's eaten my crayon."
Jo, looking in her direction too late, saw the spaniel enthusiastically take the last fragment of crayon he was being offered. Andrew, grimacing, picked the dog up.
"You shouldn't feed crayons to dogs Hannah, it can give them tummy ache. I'll get you another crayon- now the vicar is a special guest today, because he's new in our village. Does anyone know what the vicar's job is?"
"He talks to God." Hannah said triumphantly, watching Pontius Pilate spit out crayon.
"Good Hannah." Jo said cheering up. "And why does he do that?"
"Cos he's got more time than everyone else." Said a little boy at the front.
Andrew looked to Jo for help. "I don't think that's-"
"You do!" The boy protested. "My mum said to my dad he ought to come to church with us last year and my dad said once the lambs start coming he works all day and he's up half the night and he still hasn't got time to scratch his arse on Sundays."
"At which point I nearly died." Jo said later to Helen Fox in the big classroom as they watched the thirty two pupils of the school devour their packed lunches.
"Was he shocked?" Helen asked. "Michael, DON'T eat all that at once, bite bits off or you'll - there. Now pick it up."
"No," Jo said thoughtfully. "He didn't laugh either although I could see he wanted to, he handled it really well. He asked the children to draw pictures for him of what they thought he did, and he invited the class up to the church on Friday to have a look around. The kids really took to him."
"It'll be nice to have a vicar who actually knows do with children other than patting heads." Helen said dryly. "He's rather dishy too apparently."
"From what I hear," Jo said under her breath, "You've still seen nothing until you've seen his other half, and NEITHER is available."
"What IS that?" Gideon said, pausing with the rifle he was drilling with on the front lawn and coming to peer over Andrew's shoulder at the paper being spread over the door. Andrew unrolled it, held it up and frowned at it absorbedly.
"It's the hello bee."
"The hello bee?" Gideon twisted his head to peer, without sounding too flummoxed. Living with Andrew had innured him to waiting for information.
"You are such an atheist." Andrew gave the picture one last look and carefully rolled it up again.
"I don't remember any bees in the bible." Gideon shouldered his arms. "Not one. These are new, want a go with one?"
Andrew caught the rifle he was tossed and turned it over. "Nice. Reproduction?"
"Yes, all brand new. I've got a client due at three, by which time I need to have figured them out. What is the bee for?"
"Every vicarage should have one." Andrew shouldered the rifle, brought it to the present and shook his head at Gideon. "That isn't right, you'll have to show me."
Gideon took it and expertly flicked it over into position. "Historically here, then here, then HERE at this angle and down. I've got the main actors from the platoon coming, circa 1812 apparently."
"Ah the battle of Waterloo. Josephine," Andrew added in a strong French accent, "Ve vill haf ze little ho ho ho n'est ce pas? Josephine, m'est fourni avec, nous aurons une petite conversation dans le parc ne nous fera pas? Ooh Monsieur Napoleon! Quel le gros canon que vous avez! Le quel grand nez que vous avez! Tant mieux vous envahir avec mon cher. ....."
"Are you home for lunch?" Gideon inquired, following him into the house, Pilate at his heels. Andrew paused in the doorway of the kitchen and turned to give him a bright smile.
"En effet! Qu'aimeriez-vous pour le dîner mon chéri? Les jambes d'escargots ou grenouilles?"
"A sandwich would be fine. How was the school?"
"TINY." Andrew opened the fridge and peered into it. "Why is it we've been here twenty six hours and already the fridge is a wasteland? There's that tin of sardines that's been sitting there for ooooooh, two hundred years and was probably there before the fridge was invented, never mind built, and there's a box of highly suspicious milk, and that fruit we brought with us yesterday. Where IS the nearest Asda?"
"We're going to have to go shopping in Towcester, I told you." Gideon said, laying the gun on the table. "That's got a Tescos and a Safeways and a Co op apparently. Plus the smaller shops."
"Well I'll be allright with fruit." Andrew said, shutting the fridge. "It's such a brilliant diet food fruit. You look at it, and it looks back and you think….. no, I don't really fancy eating after all."
"What did you have for breakfast?" Gideon said darkly. Andrew lifted his hands towards the fruit in accusation as Gideon advanced on him.
"It looked at me and I looked back-"
Gideon turned him around and landed a sound smack across the well curved seat of his tight, black jeans.
"Get a jacket, we're going shopping. Pilate, basket, you're going to stay."
"No, fruit is fine." Andrew said firmly, backing out of the kitchen ahead of his lover. "I'm dieting, remember? I looked in the mirror this morning and I had a bum the size of Newcastle. And a vicar CAN'T go around in a surplice demanding "Does my bum look big in this? It gives all the wrong impression. When are your soldiers coming- no DON'T swat me again, these jeans are way too tight! AND DON'T TICKLE EITHER!"
"Good morning Mrs Dunwoodie." Gideon said, pausing on the path outside the front door, still gripping Andrew. Who'd stopped squirming and screeching on the word. The woman under the black hat gave them a scandalised look and scuttled away.
"That's the ghost of 'I know what you did last Christmas'." Andrew said, pointing after her. "She haunts the church too, you've never SEEN such boring flowers. They're going for a start."
"You do realise you're going to have to break this parish in gently?" Gideon pointed out, locking the front door. "You're used to inner London where the melting pot is very thoroughly melted and half the congregation were of alternative sexualities."
"That's one way of putting it." Andrew agreed. "This lot are all farmers, you'll never guess what one of the kids told me today-"
"Drew." Gideon said more firmly. "You need to take it gently. Don't want anyone complaining to the bishop."
"I can handle the bishop." Andrew said cheerfully. "What time is your platoon arriving?"
"Three. We've got plenty of time. No, my car, we need to be BACK by three."
"You have no faith." Andrew said, getting into the jaguar. Gideon turned over the engine which purred softly and smoothly, gliding the car away from the curb.
"I have plenty of faith, I just also believe in not tempting fate."
Gideon, who was a natural navigator, found the little market town of Towcester about fifteen minutes out of their village. Small, pretty and muddled between Georgian and Medieval, it was a long street of shops around the market square and little alleyways running off on each side. Gideon parked just off the market square and they spent some time investigating the small shops before they walked down to the large Safeways. Shopping with Andrew was an acquired skill. A lot of eyes turned as they walked, the tall and somewhat eccentrically dressed dark man, and the fair, chattering man in a blue silk shirt and a dog collar, who more or less walked and surrendered to the powerful grip on his hand that towed him down the highstreet, but who's attention was everywhere. Up the short steps that led into shops and jumping off them a minute later, darting up each alleyway to see where it went.
"But we must know!" he protested when Gideon pulled him back. "Might go somewhere important! Might go somewhere NECESSARY-"
"Walk." Gideon said, who knew when he was being facetious.
Andrew grinned but fell back into step. "Darling you are such a killjoy. If you didn't have such wonderful legs I might not know what I see in you. Oh I MUST go in there!"
Gideon glanced at the boutique with grim acceptance. "Ok. I want you in Safeways in five minutes. No more. Clear?"
"Da." Andrew clicked his heels and bowed. And ran up the steps of the boutique. Gideon kept walking, nodding politely to the people who crossed his path, and took a trolley at Safeways, beginning to gather the essentials of life.
"WHERE do they keep the pesto and the crème fraiche?" Andrew demanded some minutes later, appearing at his shoulder. Gideon glanced pointedly at his watch.
"I said five."
"I'll owe you a minute." Andrew said apologetically. "But I got these. Aren't they great?"
Gideon surveyed the pink fluffy handcuffs.
"What are they for? Because if you think I'm playing with-"
"You look nothing like BDSM Barbie." Andrew promised, pocketing them before the old lady across the aisle fainted from shock. "I got them for Darcy for his birthday do next week, he and Pete probably WILL play with them and at any rate they look fun. Where IS the pesto?"
"This is the country." Gideon said firmly, moving on into the bread aisle. "They probably have the basics and essentials."
"Pesto IS an essential! Chapter nine verse three, the gospel according to St Essential SAYS: 'And lo, residing in the fields there was pesto and all manner of amazing Italian things'".
Gideon stopped the trolley and turned around. Andrew caught his eye and subsided, moving rapidly from mid bounce to penitent and definitely too cute to be cross with.
Gideon didn't move. "There are not going to be any spoilt brat attacks, are there Andrew?"
"Ooh no." Andrew said zealously. "Never. Not one."
"Good." Gideon said meaningfully. "There is no need to be snobbish about straight forward foods. Bread, milk, meat, vegetables, that's all we need."
"We need spinach." Andrew said promptly, bounding ahead of him. "We do, we have to have spinach, it's the law. Do they do venison here? Quail? DUCK even? What kind of a place is it that doesn't sell duck?"
"You can't send me to bed, it's a parish council meeting tonight." Andrew explained contritely, sitting on the stairs. Mostly to remove any potential target out of his partner's reach. Gideon shut the front door and pointed.
"Kitchen please."
"Nobody MINDED-"
Gideon just stood, waiting, looking distinctly sinister.
"You'll never guess what now!" Mrs Dunwoodie said an hour later, scuttling into Mrs Ackwell's kitchen. "There's eight soldiers marching with guns in the vicarage garden and the vicar's on his knees in the hallway, scrubbing the floor!"
"Drew?" Gideon called, hearing the front door shut. There was silence. It was long since dark outside, the grandfather clock, newly unpacked in the study for Gideon who liked all things old and traditional, stood at five minutes past eleven. Gideon laid his book down and got up.
The tiles in the hallway were gleaming. As Victorian as the house, black and white, and stretching some way through the big house, they were going to give Andrew serious time for reflection in keeping them polished whenever he let his mouth run away with him.
The lights were off in the kitchen too. Andrew was sitting at the kitchen table, his hands steepled in front of him. Too still and too quiet. Gideon quietly dropped both hands on his shoulders and rubbed.
"Hard meeting?"
"Mmn." Andrew said without moving. Gideon pulled a chair out beside him and sat down, watching his face.
"Go on then. Let's hear it. How hostile are they?"
"Considering we're gay, I'm flamboyant, apparently, you wave swords around and march soldiers about, we kiss strange men in the front garden and grope each other at every opportunity?" Andrew gave his hands a wry smile. "They feel they're being very tolerant. We were item number three on the agenda. Explain to the vicar the codes of appropriate behaviour."
Gideon nodded slowly, his hand resting between Andrew's shoulder blades, rubbing gently up and down.
"Right. We expected this. Didn't we?"
"Yes." Andrew said quietly. "I knew what to expect. It just wasn't very easy to hear. Or nicely put. Mrs Dunwoodie is on the council. Mr Ackwell is too and he was nice, he argued for us, and Jo Dickinson too, but the others were a bit grim."
Gideon leaned on the table, still rubbing his back. "What did you say?"
"The professional negotiator stuff." Andrew said tiredly. "I listened. I reflected. I responded to the feelings rather than what was said. Managed to get it as win/win as possible- they felt listened to and I hadn't actually agreed to anything."
"That's what you need to do." Gideon said mildly.
Andrew didn't respond. Gideon got up and took two glasses out of the cupboard, dug for a while and found a bottle of scotch, pouring a double shot into each. Andrew took the one he was handed and leaned back against the hand Gideon rested on his shoulder.
"What's the worst they can do?"
"Log a complaint with the bishop." Andrew said, sipping his scotch.
"He told you he wanted you here to drag this parish into the 21st century. And he said it would be kicking and screaming."
"I know." Andrew took another sip, staring into his glass. "And the bishop fancies me anyway."
Gideon smiled and leaned down to take his hand.
"So come up to bed."
Andrew didn't move for a minute. Then stood up, lifting his glass with him.
"What do you think Sunday's going to be like?"
"Sunday service? Packed." Gideon said dryly. "They'll be consumed with curiosity."
Andrew's eyes gleamed briefly. Gideon pulled him close and slipped a hand under his shirt, massaging over the column of his spine. Andrew gulped the last of his scotch, then put the glass down and cupped Gideon's neck to pull his head down and kiss him. Gideon rested his hands on Andrew's hips for a moment, then bent and picked him up, bringing their faces to the same level in the dark kitchen. Andrew's hands found the neck of his shirt and started unbuttoning- and they both froze as the ancient doorbell rang. Gideon reluctantly put Andrew down.
"I'll get that."
Andrew leaned back against the counter, taking a few deep breaths. Gideon, not unused to people requiring the services of their vicar at odd hours and times, and not unused too to making decisions about how real and urgent that need was, opened the door and looked with taciturn eyes down at Mr Ackwell, who looked grim and worried.
"Hello Mr West, I'm right sorry to ring at this hour, I was wondering if we can have the keys to the parish hall. We've got a child gone missing in the village and the family are going near out their minds, we need somewhere to use as-"
"Andrew!" Gideon called sharply. "Come in Mr Ackwell, if you need a kitchen and somewhere to talk to people then we've got plenty of room and plenty of mugs. What can I be doing?"
"Well the police are coming out they said and they're asking us to get people together to search," Mr Ackwell said harassedly, "We need to get some maps out and start organising, people are looking in the obvious places now but there's so much land around here-"
"Mr Ackwell?" Andrew said, appearing beside Gideon. Gideon moved out of his way.
"A child's gone missing Drew-"
"Which child?" Andrew demanded. Mr Ackwell gave him a distracted glance.
"Little Sarah Vaughan."
"In Mrs Dickinson's class?" Andrew took his jacket off the hall peg, following them into the kitchen. "Where was she last seen?"
"Playing up near the woods with her brothers, they came back for bed and she didn't, her mother's that scared."
"Where is her mother?"
"She's with my missus at their house, they're staying there in case Sarah comes home- number seven, Church Street-"
"Ok." Andrew grabbed his scarf off the peg and wound it round his neck, heading out of the front door.
"I'm not sure she'll want it," Mr Ackwell said anxiously, taking half a step after him, "Not always helpful to talk to people about trusting and praying when they're scared half out their minds. And I'm not even sure Annie Vaughan's C of E- I know Jim Vaughan isn't-"
"Trust me, Andrew won't make things worse." Gideon said firmly, digging in the cupboard. "This is the best map I've got Mr Ackwell, I'll find some torches, how about you get as many people here as possible with some other maps and we'll start organising this search properly?"
"Mr West?" Mr Ackwell came down from the bank, squelching in the mud by the light of his thin torch. Gideon flashed his torch up to light his way.
"Over here. I think we're ready to move on to the next section."
"Aye, Sam and Tom Johnson are right behind me."
"What about the ditches beyond there?"
"The vicar's over there with Mrs Dickinson and George Dunkley, we can pick them up on the way."
Gideon followed him, taking his time over the uneven ground and using the stick he carried to check out the turf around him. The local police, the two of them in a squad car on duty, had looked at the countryside in despair and rung their local metropolitan branch at Towcester. They were hoping to get a helicopter out in the next hour, and some of the duty police from the nearest city twenty miles away, but even they said at this time in the dark it wasn't an easy task to find one five year old little girl. Periodically in the dark a voice rose, echoing slightly in the open fields and hills.
"Gay?" Andrew's voice said somewhere over to the left.
Gideon paused and Andrew's torch beam caught him. He looked alert, the hyper mood changed for one of intense and directed energy and he fell into step with the others.
"How's the mother?" Gideon said quietly.
"In a state, but I got Mrs Ackwell to ring her husband's parents, they've come over to sit with her. And Mrs Ackwell and Jo got everyone to search their houses in the village, all the out buildings, hen houses, the lot."
Gideon nodded. Two years ago he and Andrew had participated in a similar eight hour search in Notting Hill for a toddler who was found peacefully asleep under a bench in the local launderette, having escaped from his mother and wandered in unnoticed through the open doorway.
"Sarah!" A man's voice shouted again, with a growing note of desperation. Mr Ackwell winced, looking across the field.
"That's her Dad. I don't know where else we can go, we've covered a good mile out in all directions from that wood and she's only a little girl-"
"Split up." Andrew said steadily. "Half of us keep on going out, the other half go back and go over that ground again just in case we missed her."
Andrew turned around and headed in the direction of the voice. Gideon nodded to Mr Ackwell.
"I'll keep on walking. Want to send some with me and take the others back?"
"Aye for all the good it'll do." Mr Ackwell said unhappily. Gideon waited a moment, watching until some of the torch beams across the field began to move forward again.
It was nearly two in the morning when they reassembled in the vicarage kitchen, cold and tired and rapidly approaching despair. The police helicopter was still circling the village and police were now searching the fields, telling the exhausted villagers to go home and rest.
"As if I bloody could." The girl's father said bitterly, dropping into a chair at the kitchen table. "She's five bloody years old! Only five…"
Mrs Ackwell, who'd been sitting with the two Vaughan boys in the front room, put a tray of mugs down on the table. The smallest boy was asleep on the sofa, the second, a boy of eight, was awake, wide eyed and tearful in the doorway. Mr Vaughan sat back and held out an arm to him and the boy scuttled across, burying himself in his father's arms.
"He's been crying for hours," Mrs Ackwell said quietly to her husband, nodding at the boy. "On and on poor lad, I can't quiet him."
Andrew, leaning against the counter, looked down at the boy with absent pity. Then edged through the crowd of men and women sipping tea. Gideon saw him move and turned around to watch, folding his arms. Andrew crouched beside Mr Vaughan, resting his elbows on his knees.
"What's your name son?"
Mr Vaughan looked down at him with dulled, shocked eyes.
"Dean. This is Dean, Vicar."
"Dean?" Andrew said softly. The boy didn't answer for a moment. Andrew rubbed his arm gently. "Dean?"
The boy's head turned slowly against his father's arm to look at him. Andrew gave him a steady look.
"Where were you playing this evening?"
"We've been through all this, Vicar." Mr Vaughan said wearily.
"It's worth checking again." Andrew said lightly. "Where were you playing, Dean?"
"By the stream- in the woods-" the boy said very unsteadily.
"And where was Sarah when you and your brother came home?"
The boy shrugged, turning his face away again. Andrew waited, watching him.
"Dean? Where was Sarah? Where had she gone?"
The boy shrugged again. "Don't know, she must have wandered off."
"What were you playing?"
The boy didn't move. Mr Vaughan shook him gently.
"Dean, answer the vicar."
"Just stuff." Dean said tearfully. Andrew shook his head.
"You and your brother and Sarah. You were all up there together, what were you playing?"
"Dens." Dean said eventually. "Just dens."
"Where's the den?"
"Up by the stream-"
Andrew looked up at Mr Ackwell. "Did we check it?"
Mr Ackwell shook his head, bemused. "No, we didn't see it. Where is it Dean?"
The silence this time went on for longer. Mr Vaughan finally shook his son again, slightly less gently.
"DEAN. Where?"
Dean twisted his fingers, tears welling up again.
"Oh my God." Mrs Ackwell said devoutly.
"It was a gap under some tree roots in the bank that they'd dug out and put boards in." Mrs Ackwell said to Mrs Dunwoodie over the back of the pew. In the front of the church, Mrs Dunwoodie always sat right at the front for every Sunday service.
"They'd shut her up in there because she was annoying them, and gone home forgetting all about her. And then from what Annie Vaughan told me, when they remembered and everyone was panicking and looking for little Sarah the boys were too frightened to own up to what they'd done. Got a tanning and a half from their dad, both of them, when Jim got home with Sarah and they were sure she was allright. Fell asleep in there poor little soul, nothing more than scared and cold and crosser than a wet cat. My Fred went up there with Jim and the vicar and Mr West, he said even though it was three in the morning they insisted on going along and helping if they could, and the vicar called an ambulance in case they needed it. And Annie said he was kindness itself, the vicar. No preaching and fancy talking, just common sense."
Mrs Dunwoodie sniffed. Mr Ackwell, softly closing the heavy church door ready for the start of the service, came down the crowded aisle and took the seat next to his wife. Half the village had turned out for the vicar's first service, there was a buzz of anticipation right through the church. He took in his wife's expression and jerk at Mrs Dunwoodie's hatted head and grinned.
"Bella not first with the news? You'll be in for the cold shoulder then my girl. Has she seen Mr West yet?"
Mrs Ackwell followed her husband's satisfied nod at the far pew which was semi tucked out of the way behind a pillar.
Gideon was wearing a scarlet and antique officer's jacket with pips, over a white shirt, cravat and spotless white flannels. Riding boots completed the ensemble and gleamed, reflecting back the lit candles on the altar.
"Heathcliffe." Mr Ackwell said cheerfully. "And here comes Cathy."
"FRED." Mrs Ackwell said, trying not to giggle. "That's irreverent!"
Andrew, who actually looked classically angelic in surplice and robes, mounted the pulpit with slow and stately tread, leaned out over the congregation and gave them that sweet, shattering smile.
"Good morning. How WONDERFUL to see so many of you, welcome to this morning's service at St Michael's."
"Are my eyes deceiving me," Jo Dickinson murmured to her husband, "Or is he really wearing blue eyeliner?"
Mr Dickinson gave his wife an alarmed look. And she returned the shrug.
"He's definitely wearing lipstick."
"I'd like to begin today," Andrew went on cheerfully, "By talking about the so called virtue of tolerance. The kind of tolerance that makes us think about the unique perspective of others. Whether this is your sister who wants her Lara Croft doll to play along with her Barbie, instead of in the more exiting role you envisaged. Or whether this is accepting one of societies many cultures and facets that may be unfamiliar to you."
Gideon, sensing danger, looked up and fixed Andrew with a penetrating stare. Andrew avoided it, smiled at Mrs Dunwoodie and clipped the pink and fluffy handcuffs to the front of the lecturn before he leaned against it.
"I saw an EXCELLENT example of this on ER the other night……"
"Provocation." Gideon said sternly, flexing the cane he'd just extracted from the grandfather clock case. "Pure and simple and disgraceful, Andrew Farthingdale."
"It was a sermon!" Andrew, standing in front of his desk, did not look convincingly penitent. Although the remainder of eyeliner and lipstick left from an over hasty scrub at his face in the vestry after the service, gave him the deceptive and somewhat plaintive look of a small boy bruised from a fight.
"I can use symbolism and drama in my sermons, it's part of what I do!"
Gideon, still in his scarlet uniform, his long hair gleaming and his long moustache bristling, did not look in the least receptive. He had what Andrew usually referred to as his headmaster's face on.
"Then let me demonstrate a little symbolism and drama to express MY point Andrew. Take down your trousers young man."
Andrew winced, but began to unbutton his black jeans. Gideon placed a wooden chair in front of him in the hearthrug and waited, until Andrew unwillingly pushed the jeans down to mid thigh, and still less willingly bent over the back of the chair, taking a firm grip on the seat and bracing himself.
"This isn't fair Gay, my pulpit is sacrosanct-"
"It is not your personal soap box." Gideon raised the tail of his shirt and stepped back, unhurriedly taking his distance and laying the final foot of the cane lightly across the presented and well curved seat of Andrew's red silk boxers.
"There will not be rudeness and provocation in your sermons young man, there will not be deliberate attempts to shock and challenge on your own personal agenda. There will not be little digs of your own from that position of power on people who happen to have annoyed you. It is not an acceptable way to behave, and we do not do it. Do we Andrew?"
Swallowing on both the lecture and the waiting time, and the overwhelming urge to fidget, Andrew shut his eyes. "No sir."
"PINK handcuffs." Gideon muttered, half under his breath. Andrew stifled a very inappropriate giggle which promptly transmuted to a hiss and a yelp as the cane raised and whipped down soundly across the seat of his boxers.
"OW. One sir."
The second fell harder, and an inch lower, and the third flicked in right across the junction of buttock and thighs, making Andrew rise to his toes in a hurry, back and voice arching tightly upwards.
"THREE sir."
There were no appropriate words for that biting sting. Andrew stayed where he was, gripping the chair seat and squirming, until Gideon's voice, still stern, said shortly,
"You may get down."
Andrew straightened up and tenderly rubbed his backside with both hands, massaging the smart where it was worst and shifting his weight from foot to foot. Gideon pointed at the corner by the fireplace, where bare wall met bare wall.
"Pull your trousers up and stand there, not one sound."
Andrew carefully restored his trousers to their rightful place, easing them over his blazing bottom, and made his way to the corner, resignedly lacing his fingers on the top of his head.
"PINK handcuffs." Gideon muttered again. Andrew stifled the urge to smile despite the throbbing, and shut his eyes, summoning his thoughts and his sense of orientation as he heard the familiar quiet click of Gideon restoring the cane to its place inside the grandfather clock.
Its sense of order was permeating. As calming as Gideon settling to read behind his desk, as he would for the full half hour Andrew knew he would stand here. As sure as the church that stood in the village where it had for six hundred years, welcoming and uncritical of the people who came to it for shelter.
With determination Andrew dragged his mind onto the point at hand, accepted it and began the process of calming himself down. Not blaming, not angering, not fretting, allowing this to be done. To be over. To be a fresh start.
Gideon turned a page and on the rug, Pontius Pilate sniffled, turning over in front of the slowly crackling fire to stretch more of his liver and white belly to the warmth. Despite the unfamiliarity of the house, those were the noises of home.
Andrew drew one more deep breath, and let go.
When the grandfather clock chimed the full half hour, Gideon lay down his book.
"Come here Andrew."
Andrew lowered his hands and rubbed once more at his still tender rump as he made his way across to his partner. Gideon pushed back from the desk to make room and took Andrew on his knee, wrapping both arms around him as Andrew curled up against his chest.
"I'm sorry."
Gideon didn't reply, just bent and kissed the top of his head.
Outside, Mr Ackwell straightened from trimming the rectory hedge and gave Mrs Dunwoodie a long stare.
"Can I help you Bella?"
"They're CUDDLING." Mrs Dunwoodie said in outrage. "And him on Mr West's lap too!"
"Well you'll see funny things if you go poking your nose in other folks windows." Mr Ackwell observed. "Maybe you ought to know better and keep your nose out, and your feet on the pavement instead of in the rectory gardens. What do you think?"
Mrs Dunwoodie bristled, red faced. Mr Ackwell smiled to himself and went back to clipping. Mrs Dunwoodie, scuttling for the gate, paused and stared, bemused, at the laminated picture attached to the rectory front door.
"What's that?"
"What's what?" Mr Ackwell straightened up. Mrs Dunwoodie pointed in outrage.
"That! Some heathen symbol-"
"Little Sarah Vaughan drew that at school for the vicar." Mr Ackwell said sternly. "It's the hello bee, and any God fearing person should know that."
"The -" Mrs Dunwoodie gave him a bewildered stare. "Fred Ackwell, I never thought to see the day, but you're madder than a March hare and I'll tell your poor wife that too! Hello bee…."
She scuttled down the pavement, leaving Mr Ackwell to nod after her.
"Aye. Our father, which art in Heaven, hello bee thy name. Afternoon Bella."


text:
Seriously, every week when I watch this show I spend the next few days annoying all of my friends because I can't stop humming it! And they don't even know what it is XD
Anyways, I decided to put the songs together so I can just find them easily all the time and thought I'd share it so we all can :P
OP - Strider's High!
ED Be My Steady by Galaxy Standard
Rush by Galaxy Standard
More songs by Galaxy Standard!
You're My Courage by Galaxy Standard
And one more from Galaxy Standard aka our Pretty SaiSei boys <3

subset: commoncrawl


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Nosara, Costa Rica
Our Rooms:
All of our suites are comprised of: A 330 Square foot bedroom and a separate 220 square foot adjoining living room as well as a private balcony directly overlooking the beaches and lush tropical landscaping. Each Suite has its own well appointed private bathroom
Rooms can have the option of either a king size bed or 2 queen size beds plus a pull out sofa bed in the adjoining living room. Amenities Includes a kitchenette with refrigerator, coffeemaker and utensils.
Please email us for our latest rates:
**All Prices include a continental breakfast. A full breakfast is available in our beautiful restaurant directly overlooking the ocean.Additional amenities include a large swimming pool and Wi-Fi service throughout the common areas Adjoining the property is our highly rated beachfront restaurant La Luna..


text:
This weeks Teaser Tuesday is an excerpt from Wicked Lovely (my current read!) by Melissa Marr. This is my first time participating with Teaser Tuesday, but it sounded like fun so here goes!
My Teaser:
"He tilted her head up and whispered, "Dance with me." She shook her head, something very close to fear in her eyes. "There's no room, no music." Pg 173 by Melissa Marr
Hope I didn't include any spoilers! I have yet to get to that part in the story.
Teaser Tuesday is brought to us by Should Be Reading.
1) Grab your current read
2) Open to a random page
3) Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
4) BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
5) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
This or That Book Tag
19 hours ago


text:
Cal State Northridge Journalism Department's Monday Memo
Newsletter for Journalism Majors
Internships, jobs, accomplishments, and general announcements
Spring 2016 * Issue No. 6
It is that time of the semester again, midterms and mandatory advisement. Don't get too overwhelmed, just be sure you do two very important things; study for your exams to get the best grade possible, and meet with an advisor to fulfill your mandatory advisement requirement. You can do it! We believe in you!
Mandatory Advisement begins March 14 and ends April 9.
- *Freshman, sophomore, and transfer students must schedule an appointment through the Student Resource Center (818)677-2024, to meet with Virginia Avila.
- *Juniors and seniors must meet with an advisor during their available office hours. Keep in mind that meeting with a faculty advisor is not scheduled by appointment, just walk-ins, until further notice. (Office hours posted on Advisement flier)
Career Day
CSUN Student Chapter, Society of Professional Journalists in collaboration with the CSUN Journalism Department will be hosting Career Day for all Journalism students.
Learn about journalism careers from professionals and recent grads in broadcast news, print/online and public relations!
Date: Thursday, March 10
Time: 9:30a.m.- 1:30p.m.
Location: Thousand Oaks and Flintridge rooms in USU


text:
Picking the best movies of the year isn�t an easy task, especially in a year filled with so many treasures. Instead, here are some of my favorite films of the year. Not all will earn Oscar nods but are worthy all the same.
�Midnight in Paris,� directed by Woody Allen. One of those rare movies I could watch again and again, this is without a doubt my favorite Allen film of the past two decades. Essentially a love letter to Parisian culture of the 1920s, the film is thick with iconic references to writers, artists and philosophers of the era. Owen Wilson plays a vacationing Hollywood hack whose love of Paris� golden age takes him back in time, where he meets such historical figures as Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. It�s lightweight but meaningful, and unlike Allen�s latest work, it�s thoroughly entertaining.
�I Love You Phillip Morris,� directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. I�m not a huge fan of rubber-faced actor Jim Carrey, but this film caught me completely off guard. Loosely based on an amazing true-life story, Carrey plays a pathological liar who will do anything to be with his prison soul mate, played by Ewan McGregor. The two leads are incredibly well-matched, enabling Carrey to deliver the most diverse and bizarrely entertaining performance of his career. Topping it all is the wildly imaginative direction of first-timers Ficarra and Requa.
�The Double Hour,� directed by Giuseppe Capotondi. Like the preceding film, this one was originally released in 2009, but it took two years before opening in the United States. This French thriller is a superb homage to Alfred Hitchcock, featuring amazing performances by leads Ksenia Rappoport and Filippo Timi. The devil�s in the details as Timi gets more than he bargained for when he gets involved with a hotel chambermaid (Rappoport) who harbors dark and deadly secrets. It�s worth repeated viewings to catch all the subtle clues.
�Rango,� directed by Gore Verbinski. One of those rare computer-animated movies that�s cute enough for kids but intelligent enough for adults. This surreal little gem came out of nowhere and, unfortunately, didn�t get the wide exposure it deserved. Johnny Depp is perfect as the title character, a spineless lizard who becomes the reluctant hero to an Old West town of thirsty critters and evil varmints.
�Source Code,� directed by Duncan Jones. As a bona fide �Twilight Zone� fanatic, there�s no way I could leave this time-tripping sci-fi film off my favorites list. The script from first-timer Ben Ripley is mind-melting ingenious, expertly visualized by Jones (�Moon�) and deftly performed by Jake Gyllenhaal. The plot is simple yet impossible to describe without giving away secrets. This one is good enough to give Rod Serling chills.
�Stake Land,� directed by Jim Mickle. Vampire and zombie flicks are a dime a dozen, but there�s nothing cookie-cutter about this horror classic. Concentrating more on characters than gore � although there�s plenty of violence to satisfy hard-core fans � Mickle (�Mulberry Street�) advances the post-apocalyptic genre to dramatic new heights. Nick Damici and Connor Paolo give thoughtful performances as surrogate father and son, and Michael Cerveris chills to the bone as the purveyor of evil.
�Drive,� directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Dark and brooding doesn�t begin to describe this icy thriller about a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a criminal wheelman. Indie star Ryan Gosling gives a breakout performance as the unnamed Driver whose life takes a wrong turn when he plows head-on into ruthless gangster Albert Brooks. Stylish and tense, �Drive� is one of the best crime dramas this side of vintage Scorsese.
�Hugo,� directed by Martin Scorsese. Speaking of the master, Scorsese takes a break from his usual adult fare with this enchanting family feature. Based on Brian Selznick�s best-selling book, this delightful adventure combines fantasy and fact, wrapped sentiment, wit and excitement, directed with love by a kinder, gentler � but by no means less creative � Scorsese.


text: Fems At Work Meditation in 3 Share On Ready to learn how to meditate? Check out Global Femfessional, Peggy Gaines, RN's article "Meditation in 3 Very Simple Steps" here. Peggy Gaines, RN 18 May 2016 Fems At Work 0 Share This Post Share On Contributor Peggy Gaines, RN Tags: meditationPeggy Gainesstress


text:
Apaixonada pela vida
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 27 - 41 for Marriage
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Apaixonada pela vida
Pernambuco, Brazil
The path that I have chosen is that of love. No matter the pain, the anguish, and the disappointments that I will have to face. I chose be true. On my way, the embrace is tight, the handshake is sincere, why not shocked my way to smile, to keep you well. It is only in this way that I cannot see the life, and it is only in this way that I believe that it is worth living Clarice Lispector
Hi, there!
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 26 - 33 for Marriage
I'm young, intelligent, adventurous and pretty easy going. I love to laugh, to travel and learn new things. I consider myself mature, well educated, well traveled and an interesting woman. I speak portuguese, english and portuñol. I am very spontaneous and outgoing with a silly side. I don't get wowed easily. Try to amaze me. :D
Looking for my soulmate..
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 23 - 41 for Marriage
Hey there!! Well, i love to learn new languages ( i speak 5). I love to read good books, astronomy, biology, philosophy... I like to play the guitar, walk on the beach, to cook, to swim. I love my dogs and all types of animals. I like to do any outside activities, and im not too worried about apearence, i guees is more important what you have inside. And thats me! lol
I live to laugh, I live to love!
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 40 - 55 for Marriage
I am a mature happy women who knows what she wants and is thankfull for everyday she's alive. It is a precious gift. I am at my prime because I am happy with everything I have done with my life. I love my children, with 2 in college it is my time again. I have no tolerance for rudeness, drunks, faul language and bdy odor (LOL). New York is a city that I identify with but now am taking a break and a change of cenery in Brazil. I am always smiling, it's very hard for me to loose my temper, life is too short and I am not wasting my with small things. Don't expect me to respond if you do not have a picture, chemestry is important. I love music, theather, reading and I take my religion serious. gardening is my therapy but now leaving in a apartment it is a bit of a challange. It pleases me when I cook for a group of friends, there is nothing better them good friends and good culinary....perfect. For 10 years I had my own business and a life in the fast lane but now, I want quality time with the people I love.
Someone for life
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 29 - 42 for Marriage
I'm a very easy going person, I love talking to people and making friends. I like music, I'm singer, reading, dancing, in other words I like living life in the best way. I also love having fun. I have a daughter which is the person I love the most, but I know we raise kids for life, so I do keep living mine.
Um grande e ultimo amor
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 30 - 48 for Marriage
This I think highly of a lot the family, the conjugal union with complicity for live, enjoy and divide what existencia offers us. Good formacao academica, follower at the beginning before of the personality. As the woman, I am sweet dedicated and lover of the nature. In the leisure I appreciate boa reading, I laugh with the friends, sets to music, adventure and come back it be crianca.
One life..... Carpe diem
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 38 - 59 for Marriage
If the love sought to perfection, with certainty does not exist in this world hearts happy. The only thing vista by love is the happiness of two hearts. The difference, they are there to be overcome.... ♥ I'm made of dreams and illusion, I'm done with passion. I'm made of colors and flavors, I'm made of love and pain. I'm made of loneliness when I dont find you,love and excitation We thus made to one another, in our accomplishments and shortcomings. What in the world accepts and respects, this love without names or color, simply love. ♥ ♥ ♥
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 30 - 45 for Marriage
I am simple person, kind, sincere, sensible.. I think if you decided looking for somebody else here or any relations sites is because you are free for meeting another person and, I supose, you wanna to find your love! So I am here looking for a real man, good guy wanna to live some real, if you are looking for a woman,any way, just to play or spend some minutes, moments with her, is not me.. unfortunatelly I found guys wanna just that.. Please dont ask me about anything else or email me, Thanks Mira soy una mujer decidida, y cuando me propuse a inscreverme en site de relacionamento fue en la esperanza de conocer buenas personas, con ideas sinceras y que queiran relacionarse verdaderamente con una otra persona, desafortunadamente en estas buscas tengo deparadome con hombres que buscan solo para uns juegos de seducion o cosa de tipo, para satisfazerse sexualmente hablando, entonces se usted no es aquel que busca verdaderamente una mujer para compartir tus dias, ideas, miedos, deseos, no escribas para mi, no preguntes nada porque yo estoy buscando alguien para una relacion verdadera. Agradesco imensamente.
quero ser feliz e fazer alguém fe...
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 35 - 45 for Marriage
Well... I am a true, simple person I hate lies.. fisicamante I am very fat 69 kilos, decrease 155m, short hair smooth.sou super simpatica... smiling, amused... loving. ..romantica to the extreme one rs. ..procuro someone for the share with me... the happiness and the complicity to two...
em busca da minha alma gêmea
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 25 - 35 for Marriage
Well where of the i one start haha. Well first off my name i Marcia I' m Brazilian I' m 23 years old and I love has it to you fun. I love going it to you the beach or being by the pool. Nearly my whole family lives in NC Charlotte, where I lived will go 1 year and moving soon. I has recently graduated from X-ray school. I hate lies, I try it to you always be honest and never break to promise. I' m lovable when you get it to you know me. I' m to work in progress, such the most people plows - if you stop wanting it to you learn, change and grow than that' s not really living room... .. .. I go ALWAYS smiling and having to good team, If you itself me without to smile on my face you know there i something wrong! !!!! I believe everyone deserves it to you be happy and should live life it to you the fullest. People say I has to pretty smile. What you itself i what you get with me. I' m myself at all teams. Anything else you wanna know just ask
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 35 - 50 for Marriage
LOVE MY GOD JESUS ABOVE EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE! 31Poverbs woman - constantly fighting to become this Godly woman...An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain. Rare, precious, trustworthy,kind, works joyfully, enterprising, prudent with money, good steward, diligent, compassionate, generous, provident, elegant, wise, manages her home, praiseworthy, God-fearing, honored
Romantic,Loyal and Sensible.
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 35 - 47 for Marriage
I think i' m to complicated woman causes i go looking will go not to perfect man but to perfect man it to you me.But how would be to perfect man will go ok just has it to you be like me and like the sames things i like.i go to woman who loves stay at home, but when i want has fun, i like restaurants, movies and movies, amusument park, water park, walk on the one thing thats to realy enjoy it to you of the i COOK! I love it! hehe. I' m catholic and go it to you the church every saturdays.i Cannot stand to man who smoke, and if drink just social.i go not looking will go to man with tatoo or piercings to person of the not need it it to you be best.i hate who hates animals I am if or dont like animal keep put please.If Dont talk it to you myself please, just if or want just be friend.i hate lies and i SOOOOOOOO loyal I am i want to man like that I resound.
Viajante, sincera, amo a natureza...
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 25 - 37 for Marriage
I am friendly, determined, romantic, beautiful and intelligent. I have financial independence. I have 26 years, I have a degree in administration, Tourism and currently i am Right.. I love travel, cinema, go to church and be with my family. I am lean, light brown, eyes of honey-colored, straight hair is black, "little girl style" .
Viver intensamente!!!
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 26 - 40 for Marriage
I am any a, I am not any certain. I am not one of very perfect girl… to because, nobody is perfect! Do not I know to love for the half. Do not I know to live of lie. Do not I know to fly from feet in the ground. I am always I same, but with certainty I will not be to same for ever! Not certain formulae give me because I am not going to set right always. They show not me what expect of me, because I am going to follow barely my heart. They are not going to be me that I am not. They invite not me it be equal. ..eu I know to live and I know that when someone like is going to be me for the what I am and not a futile model in their own ideas and beginnings. I have patience and sufficient for expect! My heart is huge, my love, I guard barely for the most special! I become attached myself very easy the persons… I give very of me. I break to expensive with the same intensity, but I stayed happy in know that do not be with everybody...
Tentar é ter esperança de dias m...
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 36 - 46 for Marriage
I am a person that likes extroverted, simple things, ecolho my friends not by the race neither by the position is involved in politics or etinias I choose my friends by the pupil of the ohos and my loves by the window of the soul, I prefer the truth above all, oversights yes lies never, I can be someone better always suffices to want help myself,
Procuro um disposto a um relacion...
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 35 - 45 for Marriage
Taste of adventure, love to travel, as the whole sagitariana does not taste of routine, or even the day-to-day activities become fun with me. See relationship as a union for all hours, so try to be not only girlfriend, but friend, companion and cumplice, being attentive, loving and faithful.
It isn't necessary to be a lier! ...
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 25 - 45 for Marriage
Then't think I'M THAT KIND OF BRAZILIAN WOMAN THE WORLD Knows but keeps it fresh! I am not a selfish, do not like everybody arrogant, I try to be polite and courteous, happy to serve and help others whenever possible, I am faithful and very serious for the commitments they assume. I hate lies and amo honesty and simplicity. I like to enjoy the things of life always with moderation and putting God in the first place. I am romantic, loving and helpful.
A gente não desiste do que quer. ...
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 22 - 37 for Marriage
I am a quiet person, not me irrito facilmente.Tenho passion for children, the elderly and animals, I love hanging out with friends, staying on the side of the one who loves is inexplicable. I like to give affection, be a friend, companion etc. I am in technical administration and teacher.
Determinada, espontânea
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 35 - 50 for Marriage
I am faithful and I'M someone who wants to be faithful also in a serious relationship , companionship and above all respect qualities are determinants in a person for this by my side. As a good leonina, am the fire the whole time , I am authentic, determined and above all faithful. Taste of things correct, hate the wrong values are important and crucial for a good conviviality.
Pernambuco, Brazil
Seeking: Male 31 - 47 for Marriage
I am active, practical exercises (running, Dancing and swimming), I like to travel and work quite (the times very flexible). I have a company . I like to take care of myself, I love reading (every type of subject) good if vc n be quereno nanda seriously please n miss my time ok Note: if vc see the LAST name of my profile vc me findeth sk


text:
WWII Armory on Howell Place was demolished.
- It was used as a Naval Building and an Army Reserve.
- It was built approximately 50 years prior.
The Phillips Park Family Aquatic Center was constructed.
- The project was completed for 4.4 million.
- The project included a tube slide, a body slide and 2 drop-off slides, a children's play pool with a waterfall and water cannons, plus a tot slide. There is also a hot tub, a sand play area, a sand volleyball court and concessions. The capacity is for 1,500 people, though the facility had averaged 3,200 per day and had experienced as many as 4,500 by 1994.
The zoo entrance pillars with Black Bear sculptures were constructed in April. Sculptor Steve Weitzman was commissioned by the Aurora Public Art Commission to design the entrance pillars, which are decorated with American Black Bears on top, and 6 bas-relief animal sculptures on the sides, at a cost of $12,000. On each pillar there were 3 insets designed, one of a 4-horned sheep, one of a fox and the other a swan, each on a different side of the pillar.
Stop signs were placed on empty side of each pillar. The original side sculptures rusted due to metal flakes used, so Weitzman replaced them with a second set that were used in the new pillars, built in September 2001. The molds are property of the artist.
- 1992 - The Aurora Public Art Commission held a Dedication Ceremony on June 28.
- 1992 - The Zoo Wall, built by staff member Nick Beyer, was installed in the fall. It included new signage, consisting of stone letters that read Phillips Park. The stone letters cost $1,200.
- 2001 - The bronze plaques were installed on entrance pillars noting zoo was established in 1915.
Veterans were invited to attend a Rededication Ceremony, where the name plaques had been replaced on the WWII Monument honoring the "Aurora Township Heroes 1941 to 1945" that had earlier been stolen.
The new 4,000 square foot Greenhouse was built for $93,000, replacing an 80-year old facility.
- 40,000 plants were grown annually.
- Prior to 1994, a greenhouse supplier developed a fuchsia geranium and named it "Aurora," It was strictly coincidence and not named for our city.
- "Aurora" geraniums had been used for annual plantings up through 1998.
1995Total Acreage for all City Parks was 402 acres, with Phillips Park at 250 acres.
The 1995 Master Plan was adopted by City Council. The plan, designed by Burke and Associates, included changes to three areas: the Central oak/hickory forest; the golf course; and Mastodon Lake. Highlights of the plan follow:
Oak/Hickory Forest:
- New Playground (1997)
- Zoo Parking Major Zoo Expansion to northwest/southeast
- New Clubhouse
- Driving Range
- Miniature Golf Course
- General Improvements
- Several Fishing Piers
- Paddle Boat Pier
- Area for Model Boat Sailing
- Prairie Design Landscape on Islands>
- Native Prairie Habitat
- Wetland Area
- New Concert Pavilion
The Playground Renovation was completed.
The Friends of Phillips Park donated the "Welcome to Phillips Park" entry sign across at the Parker Avenue/Moses Drive entrance. 1999 The Friends of Phillips Park and the city began the 1-year lineup of programs, activities and events to commemorate the park's Centennial.
Improvements to back nine began in the fall for the total golf course renovation. Park acreage was more than 280 acres. The Groundbreaking Ceremony was held September 7, 1999.
Construction began in the fall on the Mastodon Island Project that entailed two separate sites, each adjacent to the lake. Completed in May of 2000, the island site showcases a life-size mastodon sculpture, mastodon footprints, a tusk maze and a mastodon slide. The new gazebo, complete with tiered seating, will be utilized for educational programs in conjunction with the interactive displays. The other site located southwest of the lake, known as Mastodon Lake Recreation Area West, features a playground, a pavilion, sand volleyball courts and horseshoe pits. In addition, three new fishing piers were located around the lake.


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Danny Simpson, the former Manchester United full-back, has talked about the game on Tuesday night against his former club, and he thinks the point taken by the Magpies was well deserved.
Danny Simpson confronts Hernandez in injury time
We were about as pleased with Tuesday night as we were disappointed with the display at Villa Park, but it does show that Newcastle can play really well, when they have a mind to do so.
With 5 games remaining in the season, Newcastle should be able to beat Blackpool away, and Birmingham and WBA at home, and they could then end up on at least 49 points, which would be very good indeed.
The other remaining games at Liverpool and Chelsea will be big tests for the lads, just like the Tuesday night game was, but they came through that one with flying colors.
Danny Simpson talked about the game on Tuesday:
"It was a massive point. We knew it was going to a big match, but we also knew Man United might be tired."
"They've had a tough week and lost an FA Cup semi-final at the weekend. We were a little bit fresher than them and, with the atmosphere at our place, a night game, we knew we could put them under pressure. We started well and that put them on the back foot."
"When that happens up here, it is always hard for the visiting team. They way we took the game to them, the way we defended, that was exactly the game plan we had worked on and they found it difficult."
"It's a fantastic night for me. I still think they will go on and win the league. This was a good point for them as well. It was the first time I've played against my old club and my old teammates so it's nice to be able to take something off them."
"You know, on another day we may well have won the game because we had a couple of sneaky chances which nearly went in. They had half chances, we had half chances. We deserved the point. Only Manchester City have been here and won this season, that says a lot about what this team is capable of."
But Newcastle must now go to Blackpool and make sure they secure all 3 points against a side that looks to be sinking fast.
Even Wigan last weekend were able to score 3 goals against a Blackpool defense which is leaking far too many goals this season, and the Seasiders must now be favorites for the drop, unless their form improves big time over the last 5 games of the season.
Danny talked about the upcoming Blackpool game:
"We don't want to go to Blackpool and waste this point. We don't want to make this result into a bad one by losing there."
"It's going to be a tough game, we went there last season and lost. That will be in our thoughts when we go there because we didn't like that result."
We should also remind Danny that Blackpool came to St. James' Park early in the season and won 2-0, so there's a double reason to make sure we win on Saturday.
Good teams play well against other good teams but also play well against the poor ones also, and Newcastle cannot just show up against teams like Manchester United and Arsenal.
They also have to get the job done against teams much weaker than Newcastle, and that starts at Blackpool on Saturday, and 3 points will mean safety in the Premier League this season.
There are enough good reasons for the lads to be inspired for the Saturday game too, and nothing but a win will be good enough.
Comments welcome.
9 comments so far
I really don't like this "should win" mentality. We should win EVERY game, but we don't. This season we have shown that we have the quality to beat Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea, and hold Man united to a draw, but we've lost to Blackpool, Stoke and Blackburn.
We go to Bloomfield Road full of confidence, but we really can't underestimate Blackpool. We've played them three times since the start of last season and lost twice, including a home defeat. They're on a bad run, but so were we until we thumped Wolves. They have a good reason to fight tooth and nail for a good result, so we will need to be at our most focussed in this game. It's the match that will almost certainly ensure survival, so we absolutely must not underestimate our opponents on Saturday.
@ Davies,
Totally agree… And another point is that Man U, despite how much I despise them, will play at the highest level every match. The level of energy and commitment we showed against them should not just be on show against the top sides. It should be like that every week. That is a minimum standard, not the maximum.
I think most fans could not complain if the lads showed that style of play, even if they lost (which is going to happen against some teams).
Blackpool will attack. But if our defence can shut out Shrek, Nani and the Mexican jumping bean, our defence should be tight enough to shut out Blackpool if we show the SAME level of commitment.
the figures & results against every team
Aston Villa-3
Birmingham-3 and to be played again I predict win
Blackpool-0 and to be played again I predict win
Chelsea-1 and to be played again I predict lose
Liverpool-3 and to be played again I predict lose
Man City-0
Man Utd-1
West Brom-0 and to be played again I predict win
West Ham-6
That is only 1 team we did the double over and we can still do against Liverpool and Birmingham.
To be in Europe we need to do the double over at least 5 teams and against the top 6 I was happy with our results apart from we should of got a point against City.
Aston Villa away we were f*ck.
Against Blackpool we should get 6 from them, unlucky that we losed to them at home 0-2.so 3
Unlucky against Blackburn away, Bolton home and couldnt be arsed 2 say any more


text:
Email: Ms. Black
Classroom: SMS 306
Call SMS:
(478) 237-8047
Ms. Black has taught at a variety of Georgia schools. At UGA, she was a student teaching assistent for computer science, teaching lab and lecture. In 2015, she was a K-12 substitute in Videlia. Most recently, she has enjoyed teaching at GPC and GSU. Ms. Black is excited to be part of the team at Swainsboro Middle School.


text:
Lewis P. Tabarrini Children's Music Outreach Foundation Lewis P. Tabarrini Children's Music Outreach Foundation
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Mission Statement
The goal of The Tabarrini Foundation
is to provide musical instruments and education to the children of Southwest Florida who may be otherwise unable to do so on their own.
Students participate in a 12 week introductory course of guitar lessons with used guitars provided free of charge. Once the student completes the initial course, if they choose to continue, they will be provided with their own brand new guitar. We do several different fundraiser during the course of the year, which serve as our major source of income.
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text: Is sooooooooo awesome, just opened it today and put all of my stuff in the medium sized one and it is to die for!! I got the black one w/ the matching accordian wallet which I absolutely love and have always wanted. I love the fabric so much I got the wristlet too. The bag feels really light and comfortable on my shoulder. Just love my new stuff..Does anyone else have one??


text:
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's military said 76 people, including 49 children, had left Syria's eastern Ghouta district via a humanitarian corridor on Monday, Russian news agencies reported.
Russia's ceasefire monitoring centre in Syria, which is part of the military, said militants had attacked civilians heading towards the humanitarian corridor and killed five people, the news agencies reported.
Reporting by Jack Stubbs; Editing by Catherine Evans


text:
The Wiccan Rede (long)
Bide by the Wiccan Law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust.
Live ye must and let yet to live, fairly take and fairly give.
Cast the circle thrice about, to keep unwelcome spirits out.
to bind the spell every time, let the spell be spoke in rhyme.
Soft as eye and light as touch, speak ye little and listen much.
Deosil go by waxing moon, chanting out the Wiccan runes.
Widdershins go by the waning moon, chanting out the beautiful tune.
When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at the peak, then the hearts desire seek.
Heed the North wins mighty gale, lock the door and trim the sail.
When the wind comes from the South, Love will kiss thee on thy mouth.
When the wind blows from the West, departed souls will have no rest.
When the wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.
Nine wood in the cauldron go, burn them quick and burn them slow.
Elder be the Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed ye'll be.
When the wheel begins to turn, let the Beltane fires burn.
When the wheel has turned to Yule, light the log and the Horned One rules.
Heed ye flower, bush, and tree, by the Lady, Blessed Be.
Where the rippling waters go, cast a stone the truth to know.
When ye have and hold a need, hearken not to others greed.
With a fool no seasons spend, or be counted as his friend.
Merry Meet and Merry Part, bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the Threefold Law ye should, three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is anew, wear the star upon thy brow.
True in love ye must ever be, lest thy be true to thee.
These 8 words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An it harm none, do what ye will.
The Wiccan Rede (short)
Bide the Wiccan Law Ye must
In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill
In it harm none, do what Ye will
What Ye sends forth comes back to thee
So ever mind the Rule of Three
Follow this with mind and Heart
And Merry Ye Meet,
and Merry Ye Part!
Witches Magic Rede
Copyright1999 By: Dea Miller
When we cast a certain type spell,
Before we do and hear me well.
We must ponder if it's right,
Or in our hurt it comes from Strife.
Are we casting for selfish reasons,
Or, just because it is the season?
Are we helping one to terms,
Or do we just want someone to squirm?
Should we all take up and fight.
In your heart, you know that isn't right.
So cast your spell and do it well.
Give it some thought on Ethics this day,
And you will do it the moral and principal way.
What is moral, some of you might ask,
Trust our Goddess and step up to the task.
We may not always speak little and listen Much.
We cannot always abide in perfect love or perfect Trust.
But follow what is true in our hearts we must.
Keep true to your oaths,
Never give into A boast,
And to the Moon give up a toast.
Let all spells be spoke in rhyme,
To bind our truths though out history and time.
More then anything, to thy own self be true.
This is something we often forget to do.
The Witches' Creed
Doreen Valiente, "Witchcraft For Tomorrow"
Hear Now the words of the witches,
The secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destiny's pathway,
That now we bring forth into light.
Mysterious water and fire,
The earth and the wide-ranging air,
By hidden quintessence we know them,
And will and keep silent and dare.
The birth and rebirth of all nature,
The passing of winter and spring,
We share with the life universal,
Rejoice in the magical ring.
Four times in the year the Great Sabbat
Returns, and the witches are seen
At Lammas and Candlemas dancing,
On May Eve and old Hallowe'en.
When day-time and night-time are equal,
When sun is at greatest and least,
The four Lesser Sabbats are summoned,
And Witches gather in feast.
Thirteen silver moons in a year are,
Thirteen is the coven's array.
Thirteen times at Esbat make merry,
For each golden year and a day.
The power that was passed down the age,
Each time between woman and man,
Each century unto the other,
Ere time and the ages began.
When drawn is the magical circle,
By sword or athame of power,
Its compass between two worlds lies,
In land of the shades for that hour.
This world has no right then to know it,
And world of beyond will tell naught.
The oldest of Gods are invoked there,
The Great Work of magic is wrought.
For the two are mystical pillars,
That stand at the gate of the shrine,
And two are the powers of nature,
The forms and the forces divine.
The dark and the light in succession,
The opposites each unto each,
Shown forth as a God and a Goddess:
Of this our ancestors teach.
By night he's the wild wind's rider,
The Horn'd One, the Lord of the Shades.
By day he's the King of the Woodland,
The dweller in green forest glades.
She is youthful or old as she pleases,
She sails the torn clouds in her barque,
The bright silver lady of midnight,
The crone who weaves spells in the dark.
The master and mistress of magic,
That dwell in the deeps of the mind,
Immortal and ever-renewing,
With power to free or to bind.
So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,
And Dance and make love in their praise,
Till Elphame's fair land shall receive us
In peace at the end of our days.
And Do What You Will be the challenge,
So be it Love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment.
By Magic of old, be it done!
Kitchen Witches Creed
Copyright 1998, 1999 E. Zeigler
In this pot, I stir to the sun
an' follow the rule of harming none.
Banishment of bane when goin' widdershins;
an' with water and salt negativity is cleansed.
Household duties are more than chores.
Magick abounds when mopping floors.
With this broom, I do sweep
to clean my house and safely keep.
Marigold, Basil, Thyme, and Yarrow
my spell is cast for a better tomorrow.
Lemons for joy and apples for health
the pow'r within brings great wealth.
And, in this kitchen I do pray
To truly walk the Witches' Way
Book of Shadows © 2001, Dana (Huntress of the Dark)


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I was hesitant in the beginning to buy this Puma Leap Lo by Alexander McQueen. I bought it anyway especially the Sneaker Head has free shipping to return it. When I received it and I tried it , I felt that I like it. I wore it going to the T-Mobile Arena and that was a long walk from where I park my car. I love this Puma Leap Lo. It's comfortable and gives height. I am planning to buy one more in a different color.


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With Halloween just a few days away, I thought I'd go exploring into one of Winnipeg's most amazing shops. Harlequin Costume has been making breathtaking costumes for shows, musicals, operas and the like for years. A quick peek at their website reveals a truly impressive repertoire of shows including everything from the King and I to My Fair Lady to Nine for productions all over the world. I could easily spend days browsing through their galleries.
Of course, the really important part going into Halloween this weekend is that they've also got more than 20,000 costumes to rent! My sources tell me they've still got plenty of selection if you're current Halloween get-up consists of that same floppy witch's hat you pull out of the dusty basement every year.
(C'mon, you don't want to be that guy that shows up claiming to be dressed up as himself. Trust me, no one likes that guy and your trick or treat bag is going to be filled with toothbrushes and apples.)
The picture above is showing off a very cute Alice in Wonderland and Mad Hatter set that would make an awesome couple's costume. You'll totally be in vogue because let's face it, no one is hotter than Alice (and Johnny Depp) right now.
On top of costumes, they also carry a wide variety of Halloween accessories, in particular, a huge collection of masquerade-style masks. And of course, they've also got costume makeup. But this isn't the same stuff you find at the dollar store, this is the real deal. The kind of stuff they use in movies and on stage. After all, you can't really be a good monster if you don't have the right makeup. (I think Coco Chanel said that.)
Harlequin Costume
375 Hargrave Street


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Having problems with your 1989 Ford Ranger ?
How do you check a 1989 ford ranger starter relay
\015 Starter motor keeps cranking after engine starts\015
Answers :
Try quickly turning your key to the start position and back to the on/run position. Your truck is like mine, if you have a quick hand turning the key to start your truck it will start normally. Honestly that's the best solution. Hopefully I explained myself thoroughly.
Repair Help & Product Troubleshooting for 1989 Ford Ranger
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- If you need clarification, ask it in the comment box .
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I had an intention to write up a post based on this location, however I wasn't satisfied in the amount of pictures I gained on this occasion. So I thought I'd rather have a bit of fun and allow you to comment below where you think this location is.
|London United NRM LT162 - 166


text: Is there an easy way to change Button text color in a theme? I found a theme I like -- the one TheOneDude05 modified from the Nexus theme -- but it has white text on light grey buttons. Is there a simple fix for that? Or a guide for newbs of some sort floating around...I wouldn't mind fixing that..other than that I really like the colors of it! Thanks! Feel free to throw rocks at the newb, I'm used to it.