#i want to go for a walk down to the river in the arb and just pretend i'll be ok by the time i make it back out

[o-foramuse-of-fire]

Surprise! There’s actually a PART TWO to your Secret Santa gift @ubilupus! I didn’t know whether you wanted an AH or canon story, so I wrote BOTH! The two go together, as they both concern Jasper and Alice passing notes at the Law Library at the University of Michigan.

Summary: Jasper’s studying is interrupted. Post-BD.

Title: Apricity

Words: 1,401

Rating: G/K+

Read on: AO3 or FFN

Jasper sat in the grand Reading Room of the Law Library, soaking in the other students’ anxiety and releasing tranquility. It was only a few days before finals at the University of Michigan, and the Reading Room was packed with students eager for a quiet place on campus to study, due to the strict no-talking policy enforced at the Law Library. Jasper had witnessed several students throw out one of their own for a stray cough or cacophonous giggle. Jasper was doing his best to ease the tension in the room and provide a bit of supernatural focus. He himself was very engrossed in his textbook for his torts class. There were so many new cases to read about since the last time Jasper had gone to law school.

When Carlisle had announced his intention to return to medical school himself, the family had quickly decided they would all enroll as students and--as Emmett would say--give it the ole college try. It had been a while since the family had all gone to college together. Renesmee had already gone to college once--on her own, to get the true experience as Edward had explained it (Bella had scoffed at that). The family was spread across the school, in different majors and years. Rosalie was a sophomore majoring in Business, whereas Emmett was a junior majoring in Economics. They were planning an elaborate classroom romance for next semester.

Bella and Edward had decided to start as freshmen like Renesmee, though they had agreed to give her as much space as she needed. Bella had returned to her comfort of English Literature, while Edward set his sights on a degree in Classical Studies. Renesmee had majored in Biology her first go around, and was planning on expanding her knowledge through exploring Biomedical Engineering this time. Jacob had thought it would be funny to attend a rival school--“Cause some things just never die” he had joked with a smug grin--and had instituted a year-long bet on the outcomes of every Michigan vs Michigan State game, no matter the sport. Emmett was thrilled by the idea, and he and Jacob spent many hours cheerfully ribbing the other over their school’s sports team’s various wins and losses. Rosalie and Renesmee, on the other hand, found the whole thing utterly annoying.

Esme had vacillated between several graduate programs, before ultimately selecting a path in social work. She adored her classes and the opportunity to be a GSI and return to her teaching roots, and spent her free time refinishing and reupholstering the antique furniture she had purchased for their new house. And Alice was busying herself as a junior in Art and Design, as well as delighting in telling people that she was Edward’s older sister, enjoying their confusion as they processed the height difference.

Like she knew he was going to think of her--which she probably did--Alice’s honeysuckle and lilac scent suddenly drifted into the Reading Room. Jasper breathed her scent in deeply as it swirled around him like a caress. Alice stood at the far end of the hall, her beauty striking him dumb as always. She was dressed simply, all in black. Her knee-length black coat was unbuttoned, flaring out at her waist, revealing a form-fitting black cashmere dress. It must’ve started to snow outside, for a light dusting of crystalline snowflakes coated her ensemble. Alice shook the snowflakes out of her hair with a gentle flick of her hand. She glided over to him, her high-heeled boots effortlessly silent as only a vampire could be. Jasper held up a finger in warning as she approached his table. Alice gave an inaudible sigh, sinking into the chair across Jasper as he wrote a message to her on his notebook.

What are you doing here? I thought you had claimed the kiln for the next several hours.

There’s going to be a blizzard tonight. Emmett’s planning a snowball fight in the Arb at midnight.

The Arb, formally known as the Arboretum, was a stretch of forest, fields, and flowers protected and cultivated by the University. A river ran through the park, and the acreage was enough that the Cullens could play baseball or any other game without disturbing the other students. Stepping into the Arb was like entering another world and leaving the University far behind. Almost like walking through the wardrobe to Narnia.

I’ll be there.

I know. Alice added a spiral flourish to the ends of her letters. But I was thinking we could head over to the Arb early, just you and me, and scope out the terrain.

Jasper could feel the innuendo through the subtle change in Alice’s emotions. He smirked as he jotted down his response.

I really should finish this reading.

Alice’s emotions turned towards annoyance.

Why? I know that you’re going to pass, whether you stay here and read or come with me. So why not leave this place and have a little fun? You’ve been here for hours.

I like the atmosphere. You should appreciate it, too. It’s very beautiful. Maybe it’ll give you inspiration for one of your finals.

Alice scoffed, but her eyes lifted to the high ceiling with its elaborate design. Jasper felt her appreciation as she took in the stained glass windows, the Gothic arches, the stone and woodwork that evoked a sense of arcane knowledge. He watched the subdued electric light that emanated from the chandeliers reflect and twinkle in her eyes.

See? Stay a while, darlin.

Alice read Jasper’s message with a furrowed brow. She briskly wrote him back.

Why are we even passing notes? We can speak so quietly that no one would ever hear us.

It’s the principle of the thing.

Alice rolled her eyes.

C’mon, Jazz. I’ve been handling clay all afternoon. I’d much rather run my fingers over...marble.

Alice’s dainty fingers danced over Jasper’s thigh. He stifled a groan he knew would get him kicked out of the library, and gingerly removed her hand. He gave an apologetic rub of his thumb across the back of her hand as he drew his back. Alice begrudgingly returned her hands to herself. She propped her elbows on the table, interlaced her fingers, and lowered her chin to sit atop her hands. She batted her dark eyelashes at Jasper and pouted.

Temptress.

Alice laughed silently. She radiated joy, and Jasper could not help softening under her gaze. Even now, decades after their first meeting, Jasper still felt the same sense of awe as he had in that diner in Philadelphia. Alice’s emotions were so wonderfully pure and magnificent; a dazzling light in a sea of darkness. They reminded him every day how lucky he was to have her. How lucky he was that she found him and brought hope and love and purpose back into his life.

Jasper unzipped the bag that sat at his feet, closed his textbook, and deposited it into the bag. Alice raised an eyebrow at the action. She quickly scribbled a message on the notebook before Jasper could pack it away.

So that’s a yes?

You know I can’t say no to you.

Grinning broadly, Alice swept the notebook and pen off the table, clutching them to her chest. She darted out of the library as fast as the human charade would allow. Laughing to himself, Jasper hoisted his bag over one shoulder and followed his wife out into the Quad.

Outside, Alice was gazing at a tree whose branch was curved, heavy with the accumulating snow.  Icicles hung from the other branches like teardrop silver necklaces. The fresh snow sparkled prettily, as if thousands of minuscule diamonds were coating the ground.

“You know, maybe I will stay and sketch a while,” she teased. “Nothing like campus in the winter.”

Jasper swept Alice up in his arms, twirling her in a circle as snow flurries fell around them. He brought her close to him and kissed her deeply, her feet dangling in the air. Slowly, Jasper lowered Alice to the ground, but he didn’t break their kiss till her boots nestled in the snow.

“I don’t think so, ma’am,” he said cheekily.

And though the sun was hidden by a grey sky, Jasper could swear he felt its warmth spread through his body as Alice took his hand and skipped down the street.

#jalicesecretsanta20 #jalice fanfiction #jalice #my fic recs #twilight fanfiction #ubilupus #twilight renaissance #the twilight saga

[whiskynottea]

An Interruption in the 1st Law of Thermodynamics. 

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 21, Chapter 22, Chapter 23, Chapter 24, Chapter 25, Chapter 26, Chapter 27,  Chapter 28, Chapter 29, Chapter 30, Chapter 31, Chapter 32, Chapter 33, Chapter 34, Chapter 35,  Chapter 36, Chapter 37, Chapter 38, Chapter 39, Chapter 40, Chapter 41, Chapter 42, Chapter 43, Chapter 44,  Chapter 45, Chapter 46, Chapter 47, Chapter 48 

AO3

This chapter is co-written with @theministerskat, who has also made the banner, knows every little corner of Ann Arbor and has been on this ride as my beta almost from the very beginning! Love you, Kat! ❤️

Also, I want to say a huge thank you to all of you for still being here, loving these two goobers and their story!

Chapter 49. Midnight

Michigan. Jamie’s dorm. His new life.

I drew a heart into the condensation that had accumulated on the window overnight. Through the bold, clear lines of my doodle, I could see the fresh layer of snow that had fallen in the early hours of the morning, blanketing the city in white. It was like a clean canvas, impatiently awaiting an artist to make the first stroke.

Like our lives. Everything felt new, and yet familiar at the same time. I didn’t know this place, or the future that awaited us; but I knew him, and myself, and I felt that was enough.

Jamie began stirring in the small bed across the room, and I turned to see him reach a hand out from under the covers, searching for me. I felt my heart constrict at the amount of love that instantaneously engulfed me.

My sweet, ridiculous Scot.

The floor was cold under my feet as I padded back over to the bed and crawled in next to him. I wedged myself into the crook of his arm, trying to steal as much body heat from him as possible.

“Good morning, Sassenach,” he whispered when I finally settled in. He kissed my forehead without opening his eyes, and I could feel the smile playing on his lips as they lingered between my brows.

“Good morning, yourself. I’m cold,” I purred. “Warm me?”

A sigh of contentment escaped him as his other arm came around my waist, pulling me impossibly closer to his body, my living furnace. I felt my own body relax and melt into his, and allowed myself to enjoy a quiet moment with him after so many months apart.

To just be, together.

“What are our plans for today?” I mumbled into his chest after a few minutes.

He didn’t answer right away, and I looked up to make sure he hadn’t fallen back asleep.

As if he were answering my unspoken question, his hand roamed up from my waist and back down, fingertips gracefully gliding over the bare skin of my back. When he reached the swell of my buttocks, he took a firm grip and pulled my hips tight against his.

He was most definitely awake.

His head tilted down slowly towards mine, placing a lingering kiss on my lips before moving to the spot behind my ear.

“Plans?” he whispered between light bites on my ear lobe and kisses just beneath there. “My only plan is to keep ye locked in this room for the rest of yer visit.”

I moaned in response to that suggestion, and felt his reaction to my noises, but just a bit further down.

Trying to not to let him distract me too much, I pushed him a bit more for an answer. “Knowing you, Jamie Fraser, you most certainly have plans for us.”

“Aye, ye’re right. I do.” Another kiss, and then a lick across my collar bone that sent a shiver through me. “But for right now, my only plan is to make ye whimper.” And before I could process what was happening, he dove beneath the covers.

It would never be enough.

--

We eventually untangled ourselves from the sheets of Jamie’s bed around noon, realizing that if we didn’t actually put some effort into getting up, we would stay there forever.

I wanted to see Ann Arbor; it was the city that had enchanted Jamie from the moment he had arrived. I longed to see the things that were a part of his every day, and spend time in his favorite spots.

It was a selfish desire on my part. I wanted to create memories with him so he would still be able to feel my presence wherever he went when I couldn’t be there. I wanted to talk to him on the phone and know exactly what he was seeing, not just imagine the place as a vague picture with fuzzy lines. I wanted Jamie to walk down a street and think of me, how we strolled there together, how he laughed at my jokes.

Stupid, egocentric, overwhelming love. I didn’t want him to forget me.

“Where to first?” I asked as we pushed our way through the front doors of his dorm.

“This way,” he said as he took my mittened hand in his, “I have something special I want to show ye, Sassenach.”

It took us 15 minutes to reach the iron gates of the Nichols Arboretum.

“The locals simply call it The Arb, but I’ve only come here a few times,” Jamie said, letting go of my hand for a moment to pull his beanie back down over his ears. The red curls falling across his forehead were speckled with little snowflakes. “But every time I’m here, I think of you.”

“Only when you’re here?” I asked with a sly smile.

“Always,” he hastened to remedy, “Always! But even more when I’m here. It may sound dumb, but it reminds me of our walks through the parks back in the Edinburgh. Reminds me of home.”

He dropped my hand again and moved a few, wide strides ahead.

I didn’t follow immediately, but turned and took in the bit of wilderness around me, in awe that such a place could exist within a city. It was gorgeous, and the snow covered trees and paths glittered as the sun poked its way through a break in the clouds.

As I completed my circle, a white bomb hit me square in the chest and exploded. I gasped through the cold wetness and wiped at my face.

“But there is never so much snow in Edinburgh!” he said, laughing. He actually dared to laugh.

“You’ll pay for that, Jamie Fraser.” I sneered and ran to him, ready to inflict my revenge on him in any way I could. I tried, with no success, to pull him down into the snow. Before I could realize how, he managed to wrestle me into the air and I ended up with my head against his back, while he fondled my ass, conveniently set upon his shoulder.

“Put me down!” I exclaimed, pounding my fists against his back. He carried me as if I were as light as a feather.

My response released another fit of laughter from him. “Oh I did miss you, my Sassenach,” he murmured, his hand still groping at my butt.

“Me or my arse?” I asked, actually curious.

“Both. I didna ken I could have one and not the other.” He pinched me lightly, then advised me to stop moving before we both fell.

I stopped, and he let me slide down him, slowly, never losing control. His eyes were glinting with happiness and a few unshed tears of joy when I looked at him, standing flush to his body.

When we resumed our walk a few minutes later, I noticed the wooden edges of flowerbeds left to hibernate over the winter. “I guess it will be heavenly here in the spring,” I said, trying to imagine all the colours dancing around me.

“Ah, was it a bad idea to come here?” Jamie asked self-consciously, looking at me with a frown. “It’s only bare trees and snow now, would ye like to go somewhere else, Sassenach?”

I gave him my warmest smile, squeezing his hand. “It’s wonderful, Jamie. It’s so quiet and calm. Everything white, so pure.” I pulled him to me and placed a kiss on his cheek. “I love it.”

Jamie let out a breath, content with himself. “I thought ye would. And there is a river further down!”

He walked in silence, as we had done countless times before, in a life miles away, in a time that felt like years ago.

We neared a lonely wooden bench that was situated under a tree, with thick bark and wide branches.

“I was thinking…” Jamie started, then trailed off. He glanced at the bench, then back to me. “We had our bench on Calton Hill.” He tipped his head in the direction he thought Edinburgh was, although I had no idea which way east was either. “I thought we could have our bench here, as well. Since I’ll be here for--”

I didn’t let him finish his thought. My lips accepted all the love he offered, all the little ways he cherished what we had. I strained to keep the tears from falling, thinking of all the means by which he had already linked this place with me, even before I had set foot here. I showed him my giddy smile though, realizing how stupid I had been, thinking that he’d come to forget me.

He sat down and pulled me onto his lap, and we watched stray snowflakes fall, looking at each other every few moments, trying to take in our new way of life. When I started shivering, Jamie motioned for me to stand, and we resumed our walk.

“Cold already,” he said and shook his head disapprovingly. “I had told ye that first day,” he stopped, and gave me a small smile, “That ye’re a blue-nosed Sassenach.”

I laughed, thinking of the day I discovered how warm Jamie’s hands always were. “Mmmm, you did.”

“I had gone back home and spent the rest of the night thinking if you might have taken offense. But then, you’d given me yer number, so it couldna been that bad.”

“No, not that bad,” I agreed, feeling the warmth of his hand through my gloves. “Not bad at all.”

We followed a path along the river, and when my limbs became sufficiently cold to complain about, Jamie agreed to go to a coffee shop for a little break.

He suggested at least ten different options with great coffee and tea, but we settled for the one closest to central campus, that he frequented every morning before class. On our way there, Jamie greeted several students that passed by us, and I started wondering just how popular he had become here, and in such a small amount of time. It seemed that the tall, redheaded Scot had made quite an impression.

Jamie told me all about the swim team as we neared our destination. He went on about their training, the new coach and the facilities at the university. Everything had surpassed his expectations. He was enraptured, and I felt my heart swell for him. He had made the best choice, and I took a little pride in the fact that I had helped him do so.

“When will I meet John?” I asked when he finally stopped to take a breath from his rambling.

Jamie hesitated for a moment as he held the door open to corner coffee shop for me, but finally continued once we took our spot in line.

“He texted me this morning, Sassenach. Hector is having a party at his place tonight, and John asked if we wanted to go.” He looked at me, uncharacteristically indecisive. “I would rather have ye all to myself, but I don’t think I’ll be able to, now.”

“We could go,” I shrugged. “We’ve had all day to ourselves, and it’s not like I’m leaving tomorrow.” Jamie made a sad face, and I pulled him down to me for a kiss. “We still have plenty of time! Plus, I want to meet John.”

“Aye, he wants to meet ye, too. Even though I dinna ken whether the combination of the two of ye will turn out well for me.”

I snorted and looked at him cunningly. “Maybe I’ll make him tell me your secrets.” I wiggled my eyebrows and he laughed.

“I think ye already ken all my secrets, mo chridhe,” he whispered in my ear and pulled me closer. The older women behind us coughed loudly just as our lips met again, and we apologized, stepping up to the counter to order.

We sat at a table near the wide glass windows, looking out at the street. I felt warmth finally seeping into my body, and with the hot coffee between my hands, the tall Scot sitting across from me, I couldn’t hold my smile back.

We talked about Edinburgh, about Jenny and Ian who were trying to persuade Brian into producing cider as well, and of Rupert and Angus, who had returned to Edinburgh and started a shop fixing bikes, in a forgotten basement close to the city centre. We talked about Oxford, and about my next visit before more obligations would start on my part. It felt wonderful, talking to him again, feeling his hand holding mine, reaching out and touching him. So simple. So perfect.

After several refills we were ready to face the cold again, and left the small cafe. Jamie had a whole list of things we could do, but our late start to the day severely limited our options now.

“We could browse the art museum for a bit. It’d be warm in there,” he suggested as he tightened the scarf around my neck.

“I’d like that,” I told him and we set off.

The museum itself was small in comparison to others, but still held a number of intriguing installations that we found ourselves discussing quietly. Belatedly, we realized that we’d never perused a museum together, and agreed on visiting more of the collections in the following days. On our way out, I noticed a display advertising the museum’s African art gallery and made a mental note to make sure we made it to that one.

The sun had already set when we left the museum and both of our stomachs had begun rumbling for food. After grabbing a quick bite to eat at the student union, Jamie texted John asking for Hector’s address.

“What kind of party will this be, exactly?” I asked while we waited for John’s reply.

“What d’ye mean, Sassenach?”

“Do we need to dress up?” I raised an eyebrow, then raised my arms, indicating that my huge, puffy coat may not be proper party attire.

“Och, no.” Jamie shrugged. “I dinna think it will be anything fancy.” In an instant his arm was around my waist, pulling me to him. “Ye’re beautiful, babe,” his said in a most sincere, mellow voice. “So beautiful that I’m thinking of texting John we willna make it.”

I smiled against his lips and took them in mine.

Later that night, nestled between Jamie’s body and the arm of Hector’s sofa, I closed my eyes, listening to the soft notes of the guitar. It was dreamy.

“D’ye like it, Sassenach?” I heard Jamie’s whisper, his arm pulling me closer to him.

“Mmmm… I envy John.”

That startled him, and he moved back to look at me. “Why on earth would you envy John?”

“Well…” I chuckled. “Hector is tall, handsome, kind, clever, with his own apartment, and he plays the guitar. Isn’t that obvious?” Jamie made a sound I couldn’t characterize, but I was sure it wasn’t amusement. “What?”

“Nothing,” he murmured, turning his eyes away.

“Hey,” I crooned and pinched his side. “Are you really jealous of Hector?”

“I’m not jealous!” he exclaimed a bit louder than he meant to be, and John scowled at us, his gaze leaving Hector for the first time since his boyfriend had started playing.

“Oh, come here, you…” I paused, grinning, but Jamie didn’t look at me. “Chippy Scot!” I finished, bringing my hand around his neck, and lowering his face to me until I could capture his lips in mine.

I didn’t pay attention to the rest of the song. When Jamie pulled back to look at me again, he had a crooked smile on his face.

“So, ye like me more?” he asked, and I rolled my eyes.

“I love you, stupid--” I didn’t get to finish my sentence, his teeth taking hold of my bottom lip.

Hector continued strumming soft tunes on his guitar, now with John sitting next to him, when Jamie’s eyes went wide with panic.

“Where is your coat?” he asked, springing from the couch.

“In a room, somewhere.” I looked at him puzzled, unable to understand what had gotten into him all of a sudden.

A minute later he was back, with our coats, scarves and gloves in his arms. We said a hasty goodnight to the rest of the group and took our leave, Jamie practically dragging me out onto the street.

“Jamie, what’s going on? What’s the matter?” The cold felt like an attack on my body, and I struggled as I tried to put on my gloves, while fixing my scarf tighter around my neck.

“What time is it, Sassenach?”

“What? What does it-”

“Claire! The time!”

Giving up hope of getting words out of him that made any sense, I dug into the pocket of my coat for my phone. I held it up to my face and the screen lit immediately.

“It’s 11:48. Why does it matter? Will your carriage turn into a pumpkin come midnight?” He chuckled at my stupid joke, but took my free hand in his and led me down the snowy walkway.

“Aye, I’ll make sure I leave my glass slipper behind.” I looked down at his long feet, laughing at the notion of Jamie in slippers. “Come on,” he said, tugging at my hand. “It’s a ten-minute walk in the best conditions. We have to hurry.”

And with no more explanation than that, he began walking, pulling me along behind him as I nearly ran to keep up with his long strides.

Even properly secured against the wind the night air was cold against my cheeks, and I knew they’d be a deep pink by the time we got to where we were going.Jamie didn’t slow his pace, but he kept glancing back to me to make sure I was alright, a large sly smile spreading wide across his face.

After what seemed like the longest street block in history, Jamie turned and I saw the coffee shop from that afternoon on the corner. He kept moving towards an archway ahead of us, and I knew it led into the diagonal yard he had shown me on my tour of the campus earlier in the day.

Unsure where exactly we were going, I was surprised when Jamie suddenly stopped in the middle of the archway. Not expecting such a sudden halt, I crashed into the back of him and felt my feet go out from underneath me on a rogue patch of ice.

I braced myself for impact with the pavement, but Jamie caught me before I went down. He held tight to my arms as I steadied myself and I glared up at him.

“What in God’s name is going on, Jamie Fraser? Why the sudden rush out into the cold?”

“What time is it?”

I glowered at him, but didn’t protest this time and looked to my phone once again.

“11:57.” The smile I had seen on his face during our walk reappeared, this time even bigger.

“This is the West Hall Engineering Arch.” He raised his hands and gestured to the brick archway all around us. “It was built in 1904. A long time ago, the female students lived way up in that direction,” he pointed towards one end of the arch, “And the men lived down here on central campus.”

He closed the distance between us, hands coming to a rest on my hips.

“After a date, the lasses and laddies,” I giggled at his put on heavy Scots accent, but he ignored me and continued, “Would part ways for the night right here and say their goodbyes. Legend has it, that if ye kiss someone at midnight under this arch, ye’ll marry ‘em. So, Sassenach, I’ll ask ye once more, what time is it?”

My brained stopped. My pulse quickened and I felt my heart flutter as I looked down to my phone a final time.

“Midnight,” I whispered, but his lips were on mine before I could get the entire word out.

Chapter 50

#thermodynamics #the first law of thermodynamics #jamie x claire #high school AU #college AU #outlander fanfiction #outlander fanfic #well look at all this fluffy fluff

[mercelium]

1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 14, 15, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 33, 39, 41, 42, 45, 46, 59, 60, 66, 70, 79, 80, 81, 91, 125, 134, 135

this one’s gonna b a long one so its under read more!

1. When did you both get together?we got together in the beginning of my sr year of undergrad, so sept 2017, but we became official november 28th 2017

2. Who made the first move?he did!! he asked for my number first & kissed me first too :)

3. How long have you been a couple?for almost a yr & four months!

4. How did you first meet?i was walking my dog & looking for boys to give me free beer & he was hanging w his frat bro friends outside playing beer die & i talked w the bunch of them for a while & then dandy pulled me inside the house & in there he sat next to me & we talked all night & played pool & darts :)

12. Which one of you is older? What is the age difference?he’s a year & a month older than me

14. Do you share any of the same hobbies/interests/passions?we both like edm & video games & running!

15. What fictional couples would you compare yourselves to?ooo this is hard hrmm... rn hinata & kenma

18. Describe your relationship using only emoticons.☀️🌕💛🐶🐱

22. What physical traits do you find most attractive about your partner?his pretty blue eyes & curly blonde hair & esp his scruffy beard. oh also his butt duh!!! he has a rly nice one

23. What physical traits does your partner find most attractive about you?my eyes & boobs & legs

24. What personality traits do you find most attractive about your partner?his humor & his logic & his general nerdiness

25. What personality traits does your partner find most attractive about you?hrmm my creativity & kindness

33. Describe your partner’s smile.like sunlight dripping down petals

39. Do you have cute pet names for each other?we call each other babe / baby!! i love when he calls me baby

41. Describe your favourite date so far?one of our very first ones!! we went to a house party & then left & went to the arb & looked @ stars & then skinny dipped & had sex in a river

42. What’s the sweetest thing that your partner’s ever done for you?just generally being there for me when im down / not feeling v happy

45. How do you both like to kiss?it depends on the mood / moment!! i love french kissing him tho

46. How do you both like to cuddle?he likes to be little spoon

59. Fav things to do together on a rainy day?sit inside & play video games!!

60. Fav things to do together on a sunny day?go out for a run or take dandy to the dog park!

66. How would you comfort your partner on a bad day? How would they comfort you?i would rub his back & make him dinner & watch whatever he wants to watchhe comforts me by cuddling with me & telling me soft things

70. Has your relationship changed at all since it first started?oh a heck of a lot!! but change is normal / natural. we’re much stronger & more sure than when we first started

79. Is there a favourite place that you both frequently go to together?the little island right by his apartment! or a coffee shop :)

80. What TV shows do you like to watch together?now we’re watching the future diary!! we also watch blue mountain state & the good place & it’s always sunny in philadelphia & rick & morty & others

81. How do you relax together?we just sit together and chill and cuddle

91. Are you both introverted/extroverted or opposites?i’m introverted but he’s extroverted

125. How did you first reveal to people that you were going out?it honestly just kinda happened / was expected bc we had hung around each other like every day since we first met

134. What do you hope for the future of your relationship?i hope we can continue to both grow and be individually successful and happy & help each other be the best we can be!!

135. If you both got married, what would you want your wedding to be like?omg i rly want a beach wedding!!!! that’s the most i have planned rn but yeah :))

#thank you!!!! #abt #us #shylesbiannerd

[lindoig8]

Burketown to Mt Isa - 12-14 July

Monday

Almost two weeks with no blog postings so I had better find some time to write few notes before everything evaporates.

We had to move to a different site today so had to pack up most of our gear and move the caravan 15 metres to enable a bigger van to occupy our spot. We had a fairly lazy day doing a few chores, but not stressing about anything and we had our booked Albert River Sunset Cruise at 5pm. We had to arrive 15 minutes before the cruise was scheduled to start and I managed to add one more species to both our trip list and our life list before boarding time. It was an Australian Pipit near the boat-ramp – we have seen lots of Pipits before, but in this area, they are a different subspecies and it does look a little different so I will try to post a photo of it.

I have to say that the cruise was a bit disappointing. We understood that we would be going downstream to the Gulf – and our guide on our previous tour had promised to find some Broad-billed Sandpipers for me to see along the shoreline. But we went upstream – after some hiccups. The tour ‘manager’ had mucked up some bookings and said that 5 added customers were on the way, but would be late. To fill in the time while waiting for them, we were taken a short distance downstream and turned around and back to the wharf where we waited a little longer. After a while, one more guy arrived and we waited for the others who never arrived. In the end, we set off more than half an hour late, without the additional people, and by then it was too dark for good photos. They said that the tide was low so we would see lots of crocodiles – but we only saw one (before we boarded) and a brief glimpse of one more as it slid into the water. The commentary was poor with the guide spending much of his time chatting with one woman who seemed to have had some previous contact with him. He also provided information of doubtful accuracy – among other examples, we saw a Black Bittern for which he insisted the official Birdlife name was Brown Heron. The gourmet platter almost lived up to its name with a variety of cheeses, meats, savouries, etc., that were plentiful and at least up to scratch.

Tuesday

We packed the van up ready to move on. We were almost ready to go at 9.50am when the manager came up to hurry us along. He said other people were wanting to set up on our site so he wanted us out – despite a big sign at the entrance saying that no check-ins were permitted before 11am – and check-out time for us was 10am in any case. We were on the road by 10am, but I thought it a bit naughty to try to kick us out early given the circumstances.

We bought enough fuel to be sure to get us to Cloncurry (and still had something like 50 litres left when we eventualy arrived in Mt Isa) and retraced our steps (wheel-tracks?) of a few days ago. This time, we did call in at the Leichardt River Falls, but there were certainly no falls. The river looked quite wide, but it was just a series of large pools, rather than a flowing river. It was pretty spectacular for all that and we ooh-ed and aah-ed appropriately as we took our photos. There were a few trees across the river from us and I reckon they had at least 1000 Little Corellas in them, all wheeling about and providing a great cacophony for the tourists. (A week later, we were in Boulia and a different 1000+ Corellas repeated the spectacle!)

We drove straight past the Burke and Wills Roadhouse this time and headed south toward Cloncurry. (I suspect we may have met up with some friends had we stopped at the Roadhouse – I think they were there that night, but we caught up with them in Cloncurry a few days later anyway.) It seemed that anywhere we could have camped along the road was already crowded with other vans and campers and there were very few places to pull off the road with safety to get a little privacy. We passed a small gravel pit at one point, but kept on for another 15 kilometres to a camping area marked on the map - but it was so crowded, we would have had to park on the road verge so we back-tracked to the gravel pit (just a pull-off behind some piles of road-making aggregate, 30 metres off the road) and spent the night there. It was quite private and only 4 or 5 cars passed us during the whole night.

Wednesday

We had brekky and drove on to Cloncurry where we again patronised their bakery for more pies and pasties and sat to eat them beside the Reservoir at Chinaman’s Creek just out of town. When we arrived, only two other cars were there, but very soon, they started flooding in (I suspect the free-campers’ daily caravan) and parked willy-nilly all over the place. I was concerned that we may have had difficulty getting out again so we didn’t spend much time admiring the view.

We drove on to Mt Isa and called in at ARB for a start to get them to fit another Anderson plug because we had lost one along the track. I was pretty dubious about the guy who had fitted the previous one (was that in Halls Creek? Surely not!). He didn’t inspire me with his technical expertise and I had to explain the installation sequence to him before he got it right – so in some ways, I wasn’t surprised that it eventually came apart and we lost yet another one. I reckon we have replaced at least 20 of them over the years.

TJM (where we were coming to to Mt Isa to get our new Hayman Reece Load-balancing kit) was only 100 metres down the road so while ARB was fitting the Anderson plug, I walked down there to see where they wanted the car and van to fit it. Now remember that the kit was promised 'within a week' 17 days earlier (after failing to retain the one I ordered nearly 3 weeks earlier in Halls Creek). I was also told by the manager that they had one in stock at the time - but they didn’t! Needless to say, it hadn’t arrived and I was furious (to say the least)! When will it arrive? The cheeky moron behind the counter eventually agreed to ring their supplier in Melbourne to see where it was after I almost stood over him and insisted that I needed some answers (he refused to let me speak with his boss). It had been ordered as a stock item rather than a customer order so it hadn’t even been despatched from the factory – and it would now be at least another THREE weeks before it arrived. I was not pleased!!!

I went back to ARB to pay for the plug and asked them if they could get a Load-balancing kit any faster than TJM. They ordered one on the spot and said it would arrive 6 or 7 days. As it happened, it was only 5 days and I had to ask them to hold it for a couple of days to allow us to get back to Mt Isa to have it fitted! I am not even a tiny bit impressed with TJM, but would happily recommend ARB to anyone.

We had to get fuel and swap over a gas cylinder so did that and then checked back into our caravan park. It was nice to have power and good water and we enjoyed a shower after a few days without one.

[briannajournals]

A walking meditation

April, 2020

My house was the olive-green one, with the wooden swing on the front porch. Across the street was an elementary school, its yard awaiting the shrieking children that would arrive in a couple of hours. Up the way to the east, past the Arboretum, is a long road that runs past Gallup Park. It’s about a mile downhill from the Arb to the park. I know this because it was often the first segment of the long morning walks I took almost every morning in the late days of spring.

I put on my navy-blue raincoat lined with red fleece that used to belong to my mama, then gingerly sauntered down the stairs so as not to disturb my sleeping roommates. With a whoosh of the screen door, I was out into the chilled, wet air. The stifling heat of the summer was not quite upon us yet, and the glittering morning dew graced the ground like an enchanting gift bestowed by the earth. All was quiet except for the few cars that zoomed past me on their morning commute. The birds chittered gently up above. I always wished I had the knowledge to identify a bird by its song, but I guess I’ll never know. The forecast warned of rain showers, but they never came. I exhaled as a deep sense of gratitude set in. Under the bright grey sky, the greens on the grass and the trees looked extra green, the purples on the crocuses extra vibrant.

In the stillness of those dewy mornings, I noticed just how tall the trees that lined the road were, and how the lush ground cover that helps the soil retain its moisture was so green it was almost blue.  Or, the way the air smelled fresh and earthy, the way it does after a summer rain. Eventually I stumbled upon the cascading river. I walked down to the rocks on the edge of the rushing water and sat right on the edge. The clear water moved so quickly, swelling as it pushed through the narrow pathway between two rock formations. I imagined myself putting one leg in, and then the other, allowing myself to be pulled along by the current. I stuck my hand in. The water was very much alive, and satisfyingly freezing. A feeling of clarity rushed over me as I focused on the sound of babbling, rushing water.

On days like this, any hour of the day could be dusk. It’s typical of a Michigan spring morning to feel like a bit wintry. This was the kind of weather I typically dreaded, but I find it difficult to dread much of anything once you’ve really sat down in it and let it wash over you. The same can be said for feelings, places, and spaces. I think this is why I love walking so much, or why I started walking in the first place. It’s my way of getting to know a thing. When I was in Paris, I would embark on solo trips to an unfamiliar neighborhood and walk the streets until I felt I’d soaked the city in. In Italy, I averaged about 12 miles per day, trekking the old, cobblestone streets and grass-covered mountainsides of Lombardia. Though I'd gone to school in Ann Arbor for years, walking for miles beyond campus is how I’d come to truly know the city. Walking has always allowed me to enjoy the essence of a place in a way that could never be satisfied by a car ride. I'd rather paint a portrait of the place with my feet.

Bellano, Italy, 2019

There is, of course, a difference between walking to get somewhere and walking to ground oneself. We often treat walking as a task. Many of us spend a great deal of our lives walking, trying to get from point A to point B. We hastily go about our days without consciously appreciating the simple act of putting one leg in front of another. Remedying our relationship with walking begins with setting out with no intention of where we plan to end up. In my experience, wandering aimlessly elicits a therapeutic state of mindfulness.

I think I've long understood the powerful healing properties of mindful walks. Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese monk and peace activist, writes about the spiritual dimensions of mindful walking. In How to Walk, he celebrates the practice of walking meditation, or, the art of arriving with every step. When we arrive with every step, he writes, “we return to our breathing, we return to the present moment, our true home.”

What does it mean to arrive with every step? To “arrive” is to practice intensive observation or presence. It begins with the harmonizing of strides with the breath, with relishing the sensation of cold air filling the lungs. Arriving does not require so much of a concerted effort as it does letting go of the distractions that get the best of us in our everyday lives. To “arrive” is to also marvel at the sound of the snow crunching under your boots, or to notice for the first time that the color of the berries on the trees lining the river are different than those on the trees lining the sidewalks.

I consider attentive walking an exercise in romanticizing the mundane. I sometimes fall into the trap of constant dissatisfaction with my surroundings, always wanting for something extraordinary. But even in the quotidian act of traversing the earth, endless opportunities emerge to mend my relationship with the world around me. Mary Oliver offers a lesson on making peace with the ordinary. Oliver takes us on a walk of her own in her book Upstream, which I have recently revisited. In one of my favorite passages, she writes,

Are the roses not also… excessive? Each flower is small and lovely, but in their sheer and silent abundance the roses become an immutable force, as though the work of the wild roses was to make sure that all of us who come wandering over the sand may be, for a while, struck to the heart and saturated with a simple joy. Let the mind be teased by such stretches of the imagination, by such balance.

Upstream, 138

I love how Oliver captures what might happen when we open ourselves to the rewards of mindfulness. Suddenly, even the most commonplace characters of nature embody so much wonder.

In Oliver's words: Attention is the beginning of devotion.

It’s a healing practice, appreciating the world for what it is. It’s easy to point out the bad, or dwell on imperfections, but difficult to acknowledge the simple beauties that life offers every day. Once I learned this lesson, I realized that the earth is quite generous with her gifts. She gives us the invigoratingly green grass revealed after the snow melts in early spring, and the daffodils, rich and yellow as egg yolks. These are small but valuable treasures. Take nothing for granted.

As I reflect on lessons learned from walking, I’d be remiss not to mention that walking has reworked my relationship to solitude. I enjoy the miles on miles that I spend alone with my thoughts. I can go anywhere I please and take as much time as I want. I have no reason to rush, I’m in communion with the world around me. Sometimes, I think aloneness might be my preferred state. Once I decided I could get everything I needed from within, I never looked back. That’s the other thing about walking—it’s a testament to just how far you can get yourself on your own two legs. And sometimes, that’s really far.

❃❃❃

I write this as large snowflakes float down from the sky outside of my window. Just a week ago it was 70 degrees and sunny. I should be bitter, but I’m not. I might even take a walk this afternoon, just to experience a late-April snow shower myself. Unlike a February blizzard, I find it easier to admire the charm of this unexpected snowfall, if only for its ephemerality.  The white flakes won’t stick to the warm ground; the snow will disappear as quickly as it came. But for now, I’ll take pleasure in the bizarreness of watching the snowflakes dance around the magnolia blooms.