#it wasn’t even 9 and he drank a Bloody Mary | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

blankdblank · 4 years

Text

Brother Dearest Pt 14

Pt 1 - Pt 2 - Pt 3 - Pt 4 – Pt 5 - Pt 6 - Pt 7 - Pt 8 - Pt 9 - Pt 10 - Pt 11 - Pt 12 - Pt 13

Familiar sights after days of travel and stops along the way to fill seven more rolls of film came into view for the brothers to lean into your and Eddie’s sides to hear all about the city you both had missed. All at once you were in the bustling station and felt the passing people causing a billow of your polka dot skirt as your fingers smoothed over the vest covering your cuff sleeved blouse easing the temperature of the warm day. Bags in hand you walked behind Eddie, whose larger frame helped to split the crowds of Brooklyn. Out of the station you went and James’ hand molded into yours after your second glance back at the pair making him chuckle and say, “Still here. Gonna be hard to lose us.”

Victor chuckled after seeing the pair of children on the shoulders of their dad and uncle passing by making faces at one another and said, “Not a chance in hell of losing us. It always this crowded?”

Eddie said, “Just give it a few blocks.” Stopping at the corner to wait on the light in the growing then waning to a barely noticeable few as you crossed to your third block.

Shops came into view and between more scattered faces of people stealing glances at you. More and more it became obvious that people were staring at you and it wasn’t from the usual reasons. Clearly your face was familiar and people were trying to place it halting them in their tracks but it wasn’t until you passed a little old lady with a wheeled cart holding her groceries who turned, “Bunny Rogers, while I live and breathe. How have you been?”

“Good Miss Cahn. Been in Canada through winter.”

Her eyes skimmed over you and trailed up James and she asked, “Are you Catholic?”

James’ head gave a subtle shift, “No.”

“Mmm.” Her head turned and James couldn’t help but smirk in a glance at his boots then to her as she looked straight to Eddie, “And have you made anything of yourself yet, little Brock since the war ended?”

Eddie shook his head, “Been working in a pool hall.”

“Mmm.” Turning on her heel she added in a glance at you, “Mind your company Bunny. Someone has to steer you away from a fiery future.”

“Thank you Miss Cahn,” you and Eddie said making Victor snort behind his hand that smoothed over his face.

To the sight of her back he said, “Charming. That common?”

Eddie, “For her, yes.”

Victor, “I’m sure we can win her over.”

In a giggle you replied, “She’s was married twenty years and even he couldn’t win her over.” Making the pair chuckle to themselves. “Don’t worry about it. She’s far from the gossip center of town.”

Eddie nodded, “Yes, Miss Pepper is the one you want to win over.”

Another couple blocks over and on the way to more shops the still standing portion of the nightlife scene on the opposite end of town from the art district with homes between and all around the city. New faces mingled past you and in naming what you passed for the brothers Eddie led the way past a bouncer who made you smirk at his tossing a man out shouting, “Go home Ben, sleep it off.” Though when he turned to eye your group at Eddie’s pat on his shoulder a grin cracked across his face and in seeing your grin at him his intended hello to his boss’ kid cracked off and died in the air.

Through the door you walked into the smoke filled hall you strode and you could hear Eddie’s brother in law behind the bar saying to the bartender, “Who told you vermouth goes in a bloody mary?”

The bartender answered, “Bobby-,”

“Bobby scrubs the floors! He’s never even drank vermouth, can’t even spell it!” he turned around shouting, “Bobby! Spell vermouth!”

Bobby stammered and Eddie set his bag down saying, “Didn’t have much call for vermouth four years ago.”

Dave behind the bartender’s face dropped when he turned to see him and he said, “Eddie!”

Walking closer he joined the others in a series of tight hugs asking him when he got to town and why he didn’t call before Dave looked over the brothers behind him only to lower his gaze and say, “Bunny, just look at you. Year ago you were all sweater and hair. In the best way.”

A tight hug from the brother in law came and his eyes turned to the brothers and he said, “I take it you’re the brothers, Momma Brock’s gonna love to meet you.” He looked between them, and smirked saying, “Come on, you got it Dave?”

Dave nodded and said, “July I’m buying you a drink little lady,” Making you smirk as he said to those looking on, “Bottles up to our very own Sergeant Eddie and our girl, the very first woman NCO in Canadian forces Corporal Bunny Pear.” Unable to help it you giggled and turned in the round of cheers and whistles joining the brother in law as James grabbed your bag along with his. Out onto the street you went again and into the beginning of the long stretch of houses and apartments your names rippled and echoed through the streets from people you both named for the brothers. In the passing of a second friend of your mother stunned to see you Eddie pointed out your old apartment building behind them they memorized the for sale number and address on the sign out front.

Within a few minutes a blue shingled rectangle of a home with two walkways around it and a long drive to the garage in the back came into view. From those mingling inside it bustled with noise, trotting up onto the front steps you left your bags by the wall and the brothers smirked hearing the first elated scream before Eddie was pulled into the sea of relatives tugging him left and right. Lowly between the brothers you named each relative you recognized until the brother in law had crossed the room and in his usual move to kiss his wife Ambrose’s tilted cheek his fingers turned her chin and her mouth dropped open seeing you. “Bunny!”

Snapping your eyes back to her from Victor a grin eased across your lips in meeting her halfway in her trot over to wrap you in a tight hug. Gina was next in her waddle over making you giggle again as she said, “There you are! Welcome home!”

Melting into hug after hug with none tighter than Eddie’s mother’s ending in her stepping back to look you over, “Five years, my girl you’ve grown.”

“Not really, mostly the shoes.” Making her smirk at you then look to James and Victor who stepped forward at the brother in law’s signal.

Eddie, “Momma, this is Victor and James.”

They both nodded their heads, “Ma’am.” Shaking the hands of all who greeted them at your naming them.

Momma Brock looked them over and asked James, “So you’re the fella who’s been cozying up to our Bunny. About time we get to meet you. And Victor, heard good things.”

Ambrose inched closer asking, “What were their ranks again?”

“Victor’s Lieutenant Colonel and James is Colonel.”

Ambrose smirked looking them over and Gina asked, “And you won’t be stepping in on our Bunny’s education?”

Brows inched up and James answered, “Not a chance in hell. You have every right to be cautious about me, but you have my word I will never step in the way of Bunny’s education.”

Gina, “Even for babies?”

The corner of James’ mouth ticked up, “I have no problem staying home with the babies. Money’s not an issue and I don’t have any qualms about being the arm candy to her brains.”

A round of giggles burst form the women and the brothers chuckled in their being led around the house to see the framed pictures of you and Eddie flowing into albums ending with one from the stored pictures of your family. The picture of your mother proved where you had gotten your eye grabbing figure from and the pictures of Steve’s younger years and yours proved the two different men who had raised you. Though the clear heart clencher was the final picture of you, just as Dave said, all hair and sweater with a clearly younger Eddie beside you seated on your stoop in the beginning of your friendship. They wished they could have been there to help you seeing the clear fear and pain in your face that melted in the pictures as you aged with the Brocks.

Lunch was fixed and into the packed table you all crammed joking and sharing stories of all that was missed between proud glances at the pair of you in your safe return until you were crammed in an uncle’s car to be driven over to the waiting apartment he had saved for you. The double story duplex apartment fully furnished for you welcomed you cozily inside while cousins were off shopping for you hoping to let you get an early night for your trip to Brown University the following day.

Cleaning up from the simple dinner Victor hummed as you set another of the rinsed plates to dry, “Didn’t go so bad.”

Eddie, “They loved you.”

James grinned as Victor gave you a warm hug and kissed your forehead, “Now, off to bed. Get plenty of rest.” He looked at his brother, “Sleep.”

James rolled his eyes and led the way up to your shared bedroom while the others did the same. Stripped from their suits to pajamas they climbed into bed glad to know there would be a two day gap before your tour of Barnard allowing them a break from the trains back and forth. The steady undoing of buttons left him in his pajama pants and checking the heater along the wall on his way to climb onto the bed while you eased the undone bra from the arm hole on your slip after wiggling out of your garter belt. The pair of which fell on top of your stockings and chosen dress for the following day. Turning from them you hurried across the cold floor to climb across the bed straight to James when he turned off the beside lamp, who smirked wrapping his arms around you claiming a warm kiss and leaning back against the pillow.

Snuggly across his chest you draped with your legs tangling in his while he raised the blanket to your shoulders and rested his arms across your back. A warm kiss on your forehead later and his lips ghosted across the skin there in asking, “What Miss Cahn said, asking if I was Catholic, is that important to you?”

Stealing a glance up at him you answered, “No, is it to you?”

“No. Just don’t want to make you uncomfortable if it was important to you.”

You shook your head laying it back down against his chest, “I don’t think I can be Catholic anymore, my dad wasn’t.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t be you know.” Closing your eyes you nestled closer to him and he hummed, “I love you, think it over and take your time.”

Brown was lovely to visit but between the male alumni, their sons hoping to attend and staff you had spoken to about possible courses it seemed like the difficulties of reaching your goals were not worth facing after the three hour train ride both ways, had you decided to live in Brooklyn while studying after all. The apartment had been promised as yours if you ended up needing it after all. Tours of the city and even spots in Manhattan on the way back again came before a large full Brock family celebration where drinks were slid your way and in their own subtle pulls to the side asking if James actually knew about your powers. Each of them calmed however when you showed them the copies of your comics they delved through loving each and every one of them.

Past Tullivan’s Market again you strolled past the familiar endless line of stoops, trash cans and potted plants decorating the ends of the cement railings on the stoop two over from yours. James rumbled, “Doesn’t seem as awful as I pictured. Thought it’d be a match box with a tin roof.”

“Might as well have been for how cold it got.” That made James’ hand tighten in yours feeling your pulse picking up at the base of the stoop they could see your younger self practically living on.

“Sarah-,” The redhead passing by froze looking you over with mouth open in shock until you locked your eyes on her and her nearly identical daughter. The woman the same age as your mother and her daughter nearly your age looking over the men around you. “Sorry, I thought-,”

“It’s Bunny, Sarah was my mom.” Looking her over again you said, “You must be Trix.”

Her lips curled into a smirk, “She told you about me?”

“No, I found her yearbook.”

“So, you’ve been, where have you been? And where did you meet these handsome escorts of yours?” She asked with a try for an alluring tone only to see James’ hand in yours and him inhaling in a try not to scowl openly at the woman you might want to befriend.

“I was a Medic. Eddie and me got sent out from the same Hospital and this is James and Victor, met them there.”

Her daughter, “Medic? You mean Nurse.”

Your brow inched up and her mother asked, “Ooh, very well done, head off to help the boys in battle and snag yourself a fella, or two. And, uh,” she paused to wet her lower lip, “If you don’t mind my asking what rank is the fella you’re clinging to so tightly?”

Forcing a friendly tone to mask your discomfort you replied, “James is a Colonel.”

The pair said, “Ooh.”

A honk from a passing car had a giggling squeal from the mother who waved saying, “One minute,” she looked at you again, “Good to see you, Billie,” That made you force out a grin as she said goodbye to each of the men along with her daughter correctly naming them in their trot away.

Venom hissed from Eddie’s neck, “Hideous beast of a breeder.”

Victor snorted and laid his hand across your back nodding his head, “Come on, let’s go see your old squatting grounds.”

Eddie, “You plan on breaking in?”

James smirked, “Managed to catch the number the other day for the owner, who agreed to send their realtor.”

Eddie chuckled out, “As long as it’s not that Hildi Montbrooke-,”

Nasally with a following squeak the blonde with a mountain of a bun on top of her head tottered over in a pastel pink dress with matching heels and purse making you and Eddie flash a wave at her squeal, “As I live and breathe, Bunny Rogers and Eddie Brock! I have not seen you in, oh-!”

The pair of you replied, “Hey Hildi.��

Up to you she bounced and peered up at the brothers smiling widely, “Uncle Timmy said somebody called about the old building for a showing but I’d never dreamed it was you! But I s’pose it’s fate.” Her hand waved and she turned to trot up the steps, “Come on in! Can’t say it’s improved much since you left, old man Pierce went down over Midway and his son Kevin is trying to unload it to get back to North Dakota,” in a turn to glance at you after a snorting giggle when she unlocked the door, “Not that I can think of much to call him out there. Who could leave the city?”

Her shrug came and she stepped inside and the dimly lit main second level floor and stairs up to your apartment, just one in this five story building including the ground floor level acting as the basement level. Through the locking door you passed and eyed the mail boxes in the wall across from the big mail slot on the outer wall feeding into a large box the landlady used to sort for you all. The office now sat empty and the open room in the back usually used for bike and pram storage held a few scattered boxes of old tools the former maintenance man used to own now forgotten in his move when the place emptied. Taps on walls and testing bounces across the floors were taken.

Up the steps testing the weaknesses in each one the brothers made mental note of each repair to be made. The apartment first in view was open, formerly housing an old woman and her cats with the door paint peeling and wallpaper stained and in tatters ruining the floral design across it. Yellow paint was seen under it and the worn floor boards creaked and bowed under their weight with knocks on the wall and inspection of the kitchen and bathroom proved there was something wrong with the plumbing. Glances at the light fixtures gave hint of shoddy wiring surely needed to be pulled out.

Two more apartments on the floor were visually more appealing though just as in need of repair with broken windows leaving the bars around them the only means of keeping squatters out. Small two bedroom apartments were scattered with memories and hints of what they could be for you all. Hildi guided you through each one stating her own possible decorating tricks to freshen it up for new tenants after you got the coding back to an apartment housing again after the lapse leaving it a common dwelling again.

Heavily you approached the door of your old apartment you brushed wider and stepped through. The periwinkle of your skirt and shoes reminding you of the head scarf your mother tied into her ponytail before work on her last day stirring up echoes of her humming at the spot by the window opposite you with indents of her chair. Behind you the brothers spotted Eddie’s walk to your side smoothing his hand across your back shifting your crème blouse you adjusted one of the folded sleeves to cross the room while Hildi said, “A lot of the furniture is down in the basement. They tried to have auctions for it, the families who moved took everything but, Steve’s things, well nobody felt right taking them when you couldn’t be found. Hoped you’d come back I guess.”

You nodded and tapped Victor’s shoulder stopping him from touching the wall by him saying, “Pipe from the boiler right there. Heats up the wall.”

Victor looked at James saying, “Now that’s just idiotic. And against building codes.”

You shrugged and James murmured in French, “Perhaps not so far from a death trap after all.” Making you smirk at him and guide the way into the kitchen.

“Fridge flickers out of power even when we paid the bill. Stove doesn’t work except for the back left burner and the sink tends to back up when the people upstairs took baths.”

Victor shook his head leaving the room trying not to yell at how shoddy this place seemed by his initial run through. Your mother’s room was coated in dust from years of sitting untouched, almost like a time capsule with a heavy mirror propped against the wall and in the spacious closet you glanced up seeing her rosary still hanging from the bar you had left it on that ghosted across your raised fingers.

Hildi smirked saying, “I always loved that rosary, pink opals. Where did she get it?”

“My dad bought it for her. She never left without it, Steve wouldn’t let us bury it with her.”

Hildi asked, “Have you visited him yet? Steve? Military paid for his plot next to your parents.”

“No. Not yet.”

Releasing the rosary you stepped back at James’ asking through the door, “This one your room or Steve’s?”

Exiting the closet you left her room and met him in the hall facing the room behind him saying, “Steve’s. Why?”

James smirked stepping back to cross back to the floorboard he lifted to find a metal tin he pulled out and passed to you, “He left something.”

Accepting the tin you said, “Ticket stubs and his Glenn Miller autograph. Few other bands too,” opening the tin filled with slips of paper and a roll of film alongside the heavy yellow box reading ‘Kodak Vigilant Junior Six -20’ inside the camera sat with only a single picture left. “Guess he meant to come back for them.”

James claimed the tin while Victor inspected the rest of the room only to mutter a curse at the leaking spot in the ceiling of the closet. Into the hall again he went asking, “Where’d you sleep? We’re out of bedrooms.”

Eddie sighed leading him to the closet beside the double doored bathroom with broken cabinets and the same cracked sink beside the claw footed tub rusted around the fixtures and the leaking toilet. An accordion door was slid back and what should have been a pantry beside the kitchen had the brothers nearly biting their fists seeing the shoddy built twin bed frame still holding your mattress with barely four feet around it, not counting the built in shelves you used for clothes. James asked, “They kept you in a closet?”

You shrugged and said, “I wasn’t that big and it was always supposed to be temporary. Mom said there was an opening on the next floor up a month before she died. Get a whole other room and office.”

Your eyes trailed up and theirs did too seeing fully detailed sketches of constellations and galaxies you had drawn. Victor smirked humming, “Figures you’d want stars.”

“One thing Steve and I agreed on, we both were good at art. He was a cartoonist for the paper and used to sell sketches in parks when he went for some spare cash.”

Victor, “Let’s go look upstairs then.”

On top of the tin James left at the stairs Eddie set the rosary and they followed you and Hildi up the steps around the hole in one of them, from five apartments to four the floor had laid out and more empty rooms sat with scars of the lives once housed there with ample damage as well. Pipes leaking and huge chunks of the walls missing and a giant hole in the ceiling of the living room in the last one urging Victor up to the final trio of apartments to groan at the damage from the cracked beam bowing the roof in. “Oh this is going to be painful.”

James, “Not bad though.”

“What do you mean? This is going to be painful?”

The brothers smirked at Hildi’s squeak, “You’re interested?!”

Victor nodded, “We’ll need to tear it to the bones but let’s go see the basement then we can talk numbers.”

Tightly she hugged his chest and pulled back in an elated bounce on her toes. “Oh Daddy will be so pleased!” Leading the way to the basement for Eddie and Victor while James slid his fingers along your forearm to your palm stepping closer, a stolen cup of your cheek came with a gentle kiss ending in a tapping of foreheads.

Lowly to you he murmured, “We’re going to make this place a home for you. One you’ll be safe in, be loved in while you study.” In a sideways nod of his head he stepped back lowering his hand from your cheek and keeping hold of your hand in the other for the walk to join the others.

At the doorway of the apartment he paused at your tug on his arm and grinned through your stolen peck on his cheek. “Love you, you giant cuddly grump.” Lowly he chuckled and shifted to steal another quick kiss on your lips.

Behind the others you trotted finding Eddie holding the tin and rosary all the way down to the back room again on the main floor to a door in the wall Hildi opened and said, “I’ll wait up here, not fond of basements.” Eddie left the things by the wall outside and accepted the flashlight Hildi picked up from the shelf in wall that flickered on and lit your way down into the packed ground floor. A clear path between stacks of furniture led to the laundry room with coin powered washers and dryers across from the boiler with a far from up to code fuse box way too close to the boiler.

Victor using the flashlight said, “No wonder your lights kept going out. Built the damn thing too close to the boiler. Baked all the fuses.”

James, “Supports are good though.” On his toes on top of an old crate he peered through one of the high windows, “That grass?”

You nodded, “It has a back courtyard, bout the size of our old apartment. Not much but we could have a mini garden or something.”

James smirked turning around saying, “Or a dog.”

Victor smirked, “We’re getting a dog?”

Eddie chuckled, “Just none of those little yipping ones.”

James, “We’ll have plenty of time to pick one fixing this place up.”

“How long will that take?”

Victor, “Bout a week to strip it bare to the studs. Month maybe to swap out the pipes and wiring up to code before we focus on the heating and those fireplaces upstairs. Asked for a copy of the floor plans already so when we get back to Canada we can map it all out and plan ahead for what we’re doing.”

Eddie, “How would that work?”

James, “Well, basement would be laundry and maybe pool or card table, main floor more living areas, maybe communal kitchen, guest rooms. Second floor could be yours, more guest spaces, Vic would want the top floor and we could have the third. Suites and offices for each, small kitchens for each of us with large one for all of us.”

Eddie, “So we’ll be neighbors then..”

Victor chuckled saying, “In case we want to have private time together. Breakfasts and dinners would be communal maybe with date nights to eat alone. Not to mention the library and game room, and offices for our girl here.”

“Why eat alone?”

Victor smirked saying, “Because you need a date night, and me, Eddie and Squishy can distract ourselves till he finds some squeeze of his own.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, “Doubtful.”

James smirked patting him on the back in his move back to your side, “Give it some time. For now let’s go talk to Hildi.”

“You’re sure about this?”

James smirked saying, “This is your town, your old streets, you have family here. The bones are fine just need some elbow grease to get this place into something worth the title of home.”

“It’s got to be so expensive though..”

Victor smirked, “Now’s the time to buy, whole block is being switched to single or double dwellings. Companies are jumping in on an empty strip to make some scratch while they can. Town’s getting a facelift.” He nodded his head, “Let’s go get the paperwork started.”

Eddie, “Can you buy property in the States?”

James, “We have citizenship, stayed in Montana a bit after first World War.”

It didn’t take long at the office you were taken to for the official signing of paperwork and the managing of the trade of funds. For a week the property documents would be swapped over and the funds confirmed as traded with official ownership in all senses to belong to the brothers by the end of the month.

Pt 15

#James Howlett x Reader OC #Victor Creed #Eddie Brock #Venom

14 notes · View notes

lovemesomesurveys · 4 years

Text

January (Month Survey #1)

Warning: These surveys are long. Take at your own risk.

National Days

Jan 1. National Hangover Day: What’s the worst hangover that you’ve ever had? The one after the last night I ever drank. That night was horrible. I got so sick and it was embarrassing and ugh it just ended up ruining the rest of the night. I still trip out because I honestly don’t recall drinking that much, but I got really drunk. I guess the drinking games made me lose track or something. Thank goodness for my best friend at the time who took care of me. I couldn’t really sleep that night cause I got sick a few times and just felt like shit and the rest of the day I just did absolutely nothing. I didn’t even want to look at alcohol for awhile.

National Bloody Mary Day: Do you believe in the Bloody Mary folklore? No, but I still don’t mess around with that kind of stuff.

Euro Day: Do you have any Euros? No.

National Black Eyed Peas Day: Do you like listening to the Black Eyed Peas? How about eating them? The group was cool, I liked a few of their songs. I’ve never had actual black eyed peas.

Apple Gifting Day: What’s your favorite type of apple – red, yellow, or green? I’m not an apple gal. Well, when it comes to the fruit. I love Apple products haha.

New Year’s Day: How did you celebrate New Year’s? My mom had to work until 11PM and my brother was at a friend’s house and was spending the night, so it was just my dad and I. We got takeout and watched the New Year’s Eve shows, but he ended up falling asleep a couple hours before midnight. My mom got home just in time to watch some of the New Year’s Eve shows before midnight and then we watched the ball drop, so at least I wasn’t alone. My dad slept right through it lol. It was a very chill night.

Jan 2. National Buffet Day: Where’s the best buffet in your area? The only buffet I liked was Mongolian BBQ. You put your noodles, meats, veggies, toppings, and sauces yourself and then they cooked it right in front of you on a big, round, super hot grill, so I felt comfortable consuming it. Other buffets where the food is brought out for everyone to have access to... yeah, no thanks.

World Introvert Day: Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert? Oh, I’m an introvert all the way.

Swiss Cheese Day: What meat do you typically eat Swiss cheese with? Ya know, I don’t think I’ve ever had Swiss cheese.

National Cream Puff Day: Do you like cream puffs? Have you ever made them before? Yeah, they’re good. I’ve never made them, I just bought them from the frozen food section at the store lol.

Run Up the Flagpole and See if Anyone Salutes Day: Have you ever tried to climb a flagpole before? No. I couldn’t do that even if for some reason I wanted to.

National Personal Trainer Awareness Day: Do you have a personal trainer? Nope.

National Science Fiction Day: What’s the last science-fiction novel you’ve read? The Hunger Games series several years ago.

Happy Mew Year For Cats Day: Do you prefer cats or dogs? Why? I’m a dog person, personally. I’ve always had dogs and I just vibe more with them. Mine have all been so loving and sweet and silly and pure.

National Pet Travel Safety Day: Does your pet do well during car rides, or do they hate it? She doesn’t like them.

Jan 3. National Drinking Straw Day: Do you use drinking straws at home, or only out at restaurants? I use a straw with everything I drink.

Festival of Sleep Day: Do you enjoy sleeping, or do you spend most of your time awake? I love sleeping.

Humiliation Day: When’s the last time you were humiliated? Why? Let’s not get into that.

National Chocolate-Covered Cherry Day: Do you prefer chocolate-covered cherries or chocolate-covered strawberries more? Strawberries.

National Fruitcake Toss Day: Do you like fruitcake? No. It just doesn’t even look appealing to me.

J.R.R. Tolkien Day: Have you read the Lord of the Rings series? What did you think of it? Nope. I’ve never seen the movies, ether. Just wasn’t of any interest to me.

Jan 4. National Missouri Day: Do you know anyone who comes from Missouri? Well, not from there, but my dad lived there growing up and I have family out there now.

National Spaghetti Day: Is spaghetti one of your favorite Italian dishes? Yessss. Spaghetti and meatballs, specifically.

National Trivia Day: Do you enjoy playing trivia games? Any in particular? Yeah, those like Trivial Pursuit and Scene It.

World Braille Day: Do you know anyone who can read Braille? No.

World Hypnotism Day: Have you ever felt hypnotized before? Can you describe it? No.

Jan 5. National Screenwriters Day: Have you ever written a play or some other sort of script before? Nope. I’ve written short stories and fan fiction, though.

National Whipped Cream Day: Have you ever used whipped cream for sexual purposes? Nope.

National Keto Day: Do you or anyone you know follow a ketogenic diet? Not that I know of.

National Bird Day: What’s your favorite type of bird? Hummingbirds are neat.

Jan 6. National Thank God It’s Monday Day: Do you actually prefer Mondays to Fridays? Why or why not? The days are all the same to me now, but back when I was in school I always dreaded Mondays.

The Epiphany (Three Kings Day): Do you celebrate this holiday? No. I had to Google that because I had never heard of it before.

National Bean Day: What’s your favorite type of bean? (ie: baked, lima, green, etc) Refried beans.

National Technology Day: What’s your favorite piece of technology that you own? My laptop and phone.

National Shortbread Day: Have you ever eaten those Trefoil Girl Scout shortbread cookies? Yep. I love shortbread cookies.

National Cuddle Up Day: Who’s the best cuddler you know? My doggo.

Jan 7. National Bobblehead Day: Do you own any bobbleheads? Of who? I have a Chewbacca one.

National Tempura Day: Have you ever tried tempura before? Did you like it? I’ve had chicken and vegetable tempura, which is really good.

Old Rock Day: Would you be interested in digging for fossils? Only when playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons haha. That’s part of my character’s daily routine.

Jan 8. National Argyle Day: Do you own any clothing with argyle print? Nope.

National Bubble Bath Day: When’s the last time you took a bubble bath? When I was a kid.

Male Watcher’s Day: Do you like to people-watch? It can be interesting.

National Take the Stairs Day: Do you prefer the stairs or the elevator? I can only take the elevator.

National English Toffee Day: Do you enjoy eating toffee? I’ve had more toffee flavored things than actual toffee, but yeah.

Elvis Presley’s Birthday: What is your favorite Elvis Presley song? Can’t Help Falling in Love.

National Joygerm Day: How do you treat people with kindness? Do you typically have a positive attitude about things? I try to be understanding and openminded, I try to be a good listener, I don’t put people down or belittle others, I try not to be rude or impolite, and I try to help if I can. I don’t have a positive outlook when it comes to myself, but I can for others. We could even have the same issue and I’ll be able to see it differently for them than I do for myself. I’m forgiving when it comes to others and I’ll see the good in them, truly believing it, but I beat myself up all the time.

National Winter Skin Relief Day: What do you treat your skin/lips with, when they are chapped? Ugh, I have that issue in the summer as well it’s so annoying. Anyway, I just use lotion and chapstick. I don’t use it as often as I should, though, for some reason. It would definitely help. I should also use a face moisturizer.

Jan 9. National Apricot Day: Do you prefer apricots dried, in fresh fruit form, or the canned version? I don’t like apricots at all.

National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day: Do you have issues with people of authority? I have an issue with the bad ones who abuse their power.

National Static Electricity Day: When’s the last time your hair succumbed to static electricity? Hmm. I don’t recall. I remember doing that with a balloon when I was a kid, though lol.

National Balloon Ascension Day: Have you ever released balloons purposefully into the air? No, that was so sad whenever it happened. RIP to all the balloons I’ve ever lost.

Play God Day: What would you do if you were in charge of the entire universe for the day? Noooo way. I will gladly leave that to God.

Jan 10. National Bittersweet Chocolate Day: What’s your favorite type of chocolate? White chocolate.

Save the Eagles Day: What are bald eagles symbolic of? Strength, freedom, bravery.

Peculiar People Day: Who’s the most peculiar person you know? Hmm. I don’t know. I use that word to describe things more often.

National Cut Your Energy Costs Day: What do you do in order to save energy? We wait to run the dishwasher and washer and dryer until after a certain time. I think it’s after 7PM.

National Oysters Rockefeller Day: Have you ever had baked oysters before? Did you like them? Nah, I’m good.

National Houseplant Appreciation Day: Do you have any indoor plants? How about outdoor plants? No indoor ones, but my mom has a couple outside.

Jan 11. National Arkansas Day: Have you ever been to Arkansas before? Nope.

Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day: Do you know how to use Morse code? No.

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day: Do you know anyone who’s been a victim of human trafficking? Nooo. I can’t believe that goes on, horrific doesn’t even begin to describe it.

National Milk Day: Do you prefer white, chocolate, or strawberry milk? I liked strawberry milk when I was a kid. I could totally go for a strawberry milkshake, though.

National Girl Hug Boy Day: Have you ever been the one to make the first move? No.

National Hot Toddy Day: Have you ever made yourself a hot toddy before? Nope. I’ve never had one.

National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day No question for this?

National Vision Board Day: Do you have a vision board? Have you ever made one before? What would be on it? Nope. I have no idea what I would do for one.

Jan 12. National Pharmacist Day: When’s the last time you visited the pharmacist? Uhhh, it’s been a long time. My mom or brother just pick up my medicine for me.

National Sunday Supper Day: Do you have big Sunday dinners with your family? No.

Feast of Fabulous Wild Men Day: Who’s a fabulous man that you know of? lol what an interesting day. Anyway, hmm. I don’t know.

National Marzipan Day: Do you know what marzipan is? Have you ever made it/had it before? I know what it is, but I don’t think I’ve had it. I definitely have never made it.

National Curried Chicken Day: Do you enjoy curry? Have you ever had it before? I’ve only had it once, but I remember liking it. It’s spicy, right? I can’t have spicy food anymore. :/

National Kiss a Ginger Day: Have you ever dated a redhead before? No.

National Youth Day: Do you know of a child who made a huge difference in society? I’ve heard stories of kids who have done really awesome things for charity and to help their communities, especially during the pandemic.

National Glazed Doughnut Day: What’s your favorite type of doughnut? Maple or glazed cake donuts.

Jan 13. National Rubber Ducky Day: When’s the last time you used a rubber ducky in the bathtub? When I was a kid.

Stephen Foster Memorial Day: Do you like any songs by Stephen Foster? I had to Google who that was, and the only song I think I know is Swanee River.

National Peach Melba Day: Have you ever had a Peach Melba before? How was it? Nope. Had to Google that, too.

Korean American Day: Do you know any Koreans immigrants who now live in America? No.

National Gluten-Free Day: Do you know anyone who has to follow a gluten-free diet? Not personally, but a couple people I watch on YouTube have celiac disease.

National Sticker Day: Did you like stickers as a kid? I loved stickers. Stickers are still awesome. Although, I never know what to do with them now, ha. I can’t commit to putting them anywhere.

National Clean Off Your Desk Day: Do you have a desk in your room? Is it organized? Nope. My desk is my bed, ha. It has my laptop and some other stuff that a desk would likely have. My bed is where I spend most of my time, so.

International Skeptics Day: Are you skeptical of anything? What? Yeah. Like when reading something online, for example. Or certain news stories.

Make Tour Dream Come True Day: Have any of your dreams actually ever come true before? Uhh well, I’ve had dreams about going to Disneyland and I’ve gone. ha.

Jan 14. National Dress Up Your Pet Day: Have you ever dressed up your pet before? In what? Yeah, she has a few sweaters and Halloween costumes.

National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day: What’s your favorite kind of sandwich? Deli sandwich with turkey, salami, Monterey Jack cheese, pickles, mayo, mustard, and oil and vinegar spread is my favorite. I’ll have that at home, too, but it always taste best when I get it from somewhere. I like bologna sandwiches as well.

Ratification Day: Do you remember the significance of the Treaty of Paris? Yeah.

International Kite Day: Have you ever flown a kite before? Nope.

National Shop For Travel Day: When’s the last time you went shopping for a vacation? Back in February before our Disneyland trip. I can’t believe we were in lockdown/quarantine about a month later.

Jan 15. National Booch Day: Do you like the taste of Kombucha? I’ve never tried it and have no interest to. My brother loves it.

National Hat Day: What does your favorite hat look like? It’s rose gold and has a little white Mickey Mouse symbol on it that I got from Disneyland.

National Bagel Day: What kind of bagel do you eat most often? What do you put on it? I haven’t had a bagel in years, but I always just had a regular one with cream cheese. Strawberry cream cheese is really good.

National Strawberry Ice Cream Day: What’s your favorite flavor ice cream? Strawberry.

Museum Selfie Day: When’s the last time you went to a museum? Several years ago.

National Fresh Squeezed Juice Day: Have you ever made your own juice or lemonade before? How was it? Lemonade, yeah. It was good.

Jan 16. National Nothing Day: When’s the last time you did absolutely nothing all day? Everyday?

Appreciate a Dragon Day: Are dragons your favorite mythical creature? Nah, I’d go with fairies.

National Without a Scalpel Day: Has anyone ever used a scalpel on you before? Yes, for surgical procedures.

Get to Know Your Customers Day: Is the customer really always right? Why or why not? Not always, that’s for sure. I’ve heard a lot of horror stories from people I know who work in retail and yikes. People can be so rude.

National Religious Freedom Day: Are you a religious person? Yes.

National Fig Newtons Day: When’s the last time you ate a Fig Newton? I’m not exactly sure, but I know it’s been yearssss.

International Hot and Spicy Food Day: What’s the spiciest food you eat? I can’t eat spicy food anymore D: I used to be obSESSED, though. I put hot sauce on just about everything and loved spicy chips and ramen and just everything.

Rid the World of Fad Diets and Gimmicks Day: Have you ever been on a diet before? Did it work? I’ve had to be on high protein and high caloric diets before and I’m supposed to be on one now, but gah. My appetite is a mess and I have other issues that affect my eating and yeah. It’s hard. Jan 17. National Bootlegger’s Day: Do you know anyone who makes bootleg DVD’s? No. I don’t really hear much about that anymore like I did back in the day.

National Hot Heads Chili Day: What do you like to eat in your chili? I can’t eat chili anymore, but back in the day I loved it spicy.

National Hot Buttered Rum Day: Are you a fan of rum, or do you prefer another type of alcohol? I don’t like any alcohol.

Ben Franklin Day: Name at least one of Ben Franklin’s inventions. The lightning rod.

Michelle Obama’s Birthday: Do you miss when her husband was back in office? I don’t like getting into politics.

Ditch New Year’s Resolution Day: How long do you keep your New Year’s Resolutions for? Do you even make them in the first place? I stopped making those years ago.

Jan 18. National Winnie the Pooh Day: Who is your favorite character from Winnie the Pooh? Awww I love Winnie the Pooh, he’s my favorite. I really vibe with Eeyore, too.

National Michigan Day: Do you live in Michigan? Nope.

National Gourmet Coffee Day: What’s your favorite “specialized” coffee drink? The winter drinks at Starbucks.

National Thesaurus Day: When’s the last time you used a thesaurus? Recently for something, I forget why.

National Peking Duck Day: Have you ever eaten duck before? No.

National Use Your Gift Card Day: Where would you like to get a gift card to? Hmm. BoxLunch would be cool.

Jan 19. World Quark Day: Have you ever heard of quark? Nope. I just Googled it, though. Doesn’t sound appealing.

National Popcorn Day: What’s your favorite seasoning/flavor of popcorn? Good ol’ movie theater popcorn with salt and lots of butter. I also love this garlic parm seasoning I get at the store.

National Disc Jockey Day: Would you rather have a band or a DJ at your wedding. DJ.

World Religion Day: What is your religion? Do you have one? Christian.

National Tin Can Day: What’s the last can that you recycled? My family and I recycle our cans and plastic bottles. The last can I had was a Starbucks Doubleshot coffee energy drink.

Jan 20. National Cheese Lover’s Day: What’s your favorite kind of cheese? I loveee cheese. Various kinds.

Martin Luther King jr. Day: In what ways was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. influential? He was a huge influential leader in the civil rights movement and helped spark major changes. He was a very courageous and intelligent man.

National Buttercrunch Day: Have you ever made butter crunch before? Nope.

National Penguin Day: What’s your favorite thing about penguins? Their little waddle and how they mate for life. They’re so cute.

Jan 21. National Hugging Day: Are you a hugger? Not really. Like, I’m not one to initiate a hug. Hugs from certain people are really nice, though.

National Granola Bar Day: Do you eat granola bars? What’s your favorite flavor? I used to all the time. The Quaker Oats chocolate chip, peanut butter, and s’mores ones were my favorite. Sunbelt oats and honey granola bars are really good, too.

Squirrel Appreciation Day: Squirrels or chipmunks? Chipmunks. Aww, this reminds of Ty because he was squirrel and I was giraffe.

International Sweatpants Day: How many pairs of sweatpants do you own? Only 2. I’m a leggings gal, I have a shitload of leggings. I feel like a cartoon character when they show their closest lol.

National Banana Bread Day: Do you prefer your banana bread with or without walnuts? How about chocolate chips? Without walnuts, hands down. SO good. I’ve never tried it with chocolate chips.

National New England Clam Chowder Day: Do you like New England Clam Chowder soup? No.

Jan 22. Celebration of Life Day: Do you believe that abortion should be legal? Why or why not? I don’t like getting into political and touchy topics like this.

National Blonde Brownie Day: What’s your favorite type of brownie? Fudge brownies. Yum.

Library Shelfie Day: How often do you visit your public library? I haven’t gone since I was in high school, so it’s been over 10 years.

National Southern Food Day: What’s your favorite Southern food/meal? Biscuits and gravy.

National Sanctity of Human Life Day: Do you believe that all humans have some sort of value? Yes?

National Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day: Do you talk to your pets? Of course! All the time.

Hot Sauce Day: How hot do you like your hot sauce? I can only handle a little mild hot sauce now. D: I used to be obsessed with spicy foods and hot sauces back when I could have it.

Jan 23. National Handwriting Day: Do you prefer printing or writing in cursive? Printing.

World Spay Day: Are all of your pets spayed or neutered? Yes, my doggo is spayed. That was done before we could bring her home from the adoption shelter.

National Pie Day/National Rhubarb Pie Day: What’s your favorite type of pie? Cheesecake. That’s the only kind I like.

Measure Your Feet Day: How big are your feet? I have small feet. I wear a 6 in womens (US). I can wear a 3.5/4 in kid’s, too. That’s the size my Adidas are.

Jan 24. Beer Can Appreciation Day: What’s your favorite type of beer? Ew, none.

National Compliment Day: What’s the last compliment that you’ve received? I don’t even remember, it’s been a long time.

National Peanut Butter Day: What’s your favorite food that involves peanut butter? Reese’s.

International Day of Education: Why do you feel that education important? There’s a lot of benefits to being educated. It helps you gain knowledge about the world around you, helps you build and form opinions, make better, well-informed decisions on certain things, helps you learn skills that will be beneficial for you... there’s a lot of reasons.

Global Belly Laugh Day: When’s the last time you laughed so hard you cried? It’s been a long time since I’ve had a good laugh like that.

National Eskimo Pie Patent Day: When’s the last time you had an Eskimo Pie? I’ve never had one.

National Lobster Thermidor Day: When’s the last time you ate lobster? I don’t eat lobster. Or any seafood.

Jan 25. National Opposite Day: Have you ever been attracted to someone that was the complete opposite of you? Yes.

Community Manager Appreciation Day: At your workplace, do you have a good manager/boss, or not? Are you your own boss? I don’t have a job.

National Irish Coffee Day: Have you ever had an Irish Coffee before? Nope.

National Seed Swap Day: What’s the last seed you planted? I’ve never planted any seeds.

National Florida Day: Do you know anyone who is from Florida? Not personally, but a few YouTubers I watch are.

Chinese New Year: What is your Chinese animal? (the year of the ___) Snake.

Burns Supper: Favorite poem by Robert Burns? I don’t think I’m familiar with his work.

Jan 26. National Green Juice Day: Do you drink any sort of health drinks? Nope.

National Peanut Brittle Day: Do you enjoy peanut brittle? Nah, it’s too hard.

National Spouses Day: Do you hope to get married one day? Why or why not? I don’t plan on getting married.

Australia Day: If you were to go to Australia, what would you want to see/do first? I’d probably want to go to Sydney.

International Customs Day: What do you think of the current level of border security in your area? Uhhh.

World Leprosy Day: Do you know anyone who has leprosy? No.

Jan 27. National Bubble Wrap Day: As an adult, would you still be interested in popping bubble wrap? Um, absolutely! You’re never too old for bubblewrap.

National Chocolate Cake Day: Do you prefer chocolate cake or another flavor instead? I much prefer white, funfetti, strawberry, or red velevet.

World Breast Pumping Day: If you have a baby, would you breastfeed or formula feed? Why? I’m not having kids.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Do you know of any Holocaust survivors? Eli Wiesel, the author of Night, a book about his horrifying experience during the Holocaust and in Nazi concentration camps, came to talk to my sophomore English class.

Wolfgang Mozart’s Birthday: Do you like to listen to Mozart? I have an appreciation for a lot of piano pieces.

Punch the Clock Day: Do you have to punch in and out at work, or do you have a paper time sheet? I don’t have a job.

Jan 28. National Have Fun at Work Day: What is one fun thing about your work?

National Blueberry Pancake Day: Would you rather have blueberry pancakes or chocolate chip pancakes? Blueberry.

Data Privacy Day: Have one of your websites ever been hacked before? Yes, back in the day.

National Daisy Day: Are daisies your favorite flower? No, but they are pretty.

National Lego Day: Do you follow the building instructions if you have a Lego kit, or do you build your own prototype? I haven’t played with Legos since I was a kid, but I just made my own things for the most part. I do remember attempting to make some of the things they showed on the container the Legos came in.

National Kazoo Day: Have you ever played a kazoo before? Nope.

National Plan For Vacation Day: Where would you like to go on vacation? A lot of places. I wish I could just go on a vacation at all right now. :(

Global Community Engagement Day: How do you play a part in your community? Uhhh. I’m not involved in any community things.

Jan 29. National Corn Chip Day: Fritos or Tostitos? Both are good.

National Puzzle Day: How many pieces was the last jigsaw puzzle that you completed? I have no idea, I haven’t done a puzzle since I was a kid. I’ve actually been wanting to do one recently, though.

Jan 30. National Croissant Day: What do you like to put on your croissant? They’re just good on their own.

National Inane Answering Message Day: Do you leave voicemails, or do you hang up and try again later? If I’m calling my doctor I might leave a voicemail, but usually I’ll just try again later. I hate leaving voicemails, though. If I’m calling my parents, I’ll just call again or send them a text.

Jan 31. Inspire Your Heart With Art Day: What form of art would you be most likely to try your hand at? I like to color, but that’s as artsy as it gets for me.

National Backward Day: Can you walk around backwards without tripping over something? Well, I can wheel backwards.

National Hot Chocolate Day: Do you like hot chocolate? Do you prefer a certain flavor? Yes. I just like the regular kind with marshmallows and whipped cream.

National Big Wig Day: What type of job would you like to have that allows you to be in charge? I wouldn’t want to be in charge.

Eat Brussel Sprouts Day: Do you like Brussel sprouts? Nooo.

Brandy Alexander Day: Do you like to drink brandy? Nope. I don’t drink alcohol.

National Weeks

Folic Acid Awareness Week: Do you know anyone with a congenital disability? Yes.

Universal Letter Writing Week: When’s the last time you hand-wrote a letter to someone? I don’t even remember.

Diet Resolution Week: Have you ever gone on a diet before because of someone’s comments about your weight? Yeah, but it was to try and gain weight because I’m too thin.

National Silent Record Week: Have you ever listened to a silent record before? No.

National Pizza Week: What do you like to eat on your pizza? White sauce, feta and ricotta cheese, spinach, garlic, crumbled meatballs, and pesto drizzled on top.

Home Office Safety and Security Week: Does your home have a security system? Yes.

Cuckoo Dancing Week: Do you like to dance? Sure. Well, by dance I mean head bobbing and maybe moving my arms and shoulders a bit. Oh, and sad attempts at TikTok dances haha.

World Kiwanis Week: Do you know what the Kiwani’s Club revolves around? No.

National Mocktail Week: What’s your favorite mocktail? When I was a kid I liked virgin strawberry margaritas. This one restaurant my family and I often went to had them for kids and they were so good.

Hunt For Happiness Week: Where do you find your happiness? At the beach watching the waves crash in and out, smelling the ocean air, and feeling that nice, cool breeze. I just get lost in it and it’s really relaxing.

National Healthy Weight Week: Do you feel that you are a healthy weight? Why or why not? No, I’m not. I’m underweight.

International Snowmobile Safety & Awareness Week: Have you ever ridden on a snowmobile before? Nope.

No Name-Calling Week: What’s the worst name you’ve ever been called? Who knows what people have said or thought about me that I’m not aware of, nor do I want to know, but the only things I know of are the things I’ve said and think about myself. I’m my own worst enemy.

International Hoof Care Week: Do you like any animals that have hooves? Giraffes. <3

National Catholic Schools Week: Did you ever go to a Catholic school before? No.

National CRNA Week: Have you ever been put under anesthesia before? How were you when you came out of it? Yeah, several times. I always felt sick, groggy, and really cold afterwards.

Meat Week: What’s your favorite type of meat? Or are you a vegetarian/vegan? Chicken.

National School Choice Week: Would you have preferred to be in a public school, a private school, or to be homeschooled? I was fine with public school.

National Cowboy Poetry Gathering Week: Do you know anyone who is a cowboy? Nope.

National Months

National Hot Tea Month: What’s your favorite flavor tea? Chamomile, peppermint, and spearmint.

National Oatmeal Month: What’s your favorite flavor of oatmeal? I like regular oatmeal with condensed milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

National Slow Cooking Month: Do you have a crock-pot? Well, my mom does, but yeah.

National Soup Month: What’s your favorite kind of soup? I’m a ramen gal.

National Baking Month: What’s your favorite thing to bake? If I bake it’s going to be cupcakes or muffins. It’s been awhile since I’ve baked anything, though.

National Fat Free Living Month: Do you eat foods that are fat-free? How about drinks? Not usually.

National Bath Safety Month: Do you prefer baths or showers? Showers. I have’t taken a bath since I was a kid.

National Blood Donor Month: Have you ever donated blood? When was the last time? No.

National Hobby Month: Do you have any hobbies? Doing surveys, reading, and coloring.

National Train Your Dog Month: Is your dog well-trained? Yeah.

Walk Your Pet Month: How often do you walk your dog, if you have one? I can’t do that, but my dad or brother take her.

National CBD Month: Have you ever used CBD oil? Nope.

National Black Diamond Month: Do you own anything with diamonds – black or regular? No.

National Mentoring Month: Have you ever had a mentor before? No.

National Menudo Month: Have you ever had menudo before? Nope. It doesn’t sound appealing to me.

[a-zebra-is-a-striped-horse]

#personal #text #survey #surveys #this is a super long one ya'll

3 notes · View notes

billvsamerica · 5 years

Text

A Little British Jaunt

A week before we were due to depart to Florida on May 17th, I had a sudden realisation. Kroc Fury, a local 9-12 year old football (soccer) team, were set to play in the finals on May 18th. Normally, I wouldn’t care very much that a children’s team had a game, but on this occasion it was important because I’m the coach. Unbeaten since the first game of the season, they had a real chance of winning the whole thing for the first time since my inaugural season nearly three years ago. I had to make a decision: a) disappoint my wife, leaving her to drive eight hours alone and go down a day later to Florida on the plane, or b) disappoint a bunch of children who idolise me as a demi-god and changer of lives. I booked my flight for after the game. Oh yeah, it was also my wife’s birthday on May 17th. We lost the game on penalties, so I made the wrong decision. They really did let me down. Embarrassing.

Kroc Fury changing their name to “The Let Me Downs” for next season.

Anyway, after sorting all that out we arrived back in England on Monday morning. After a day of tea and biscuits, we joined my parents on a trip to Oxford to see my brother. He’s teaching there while his girlfriend gets a degree from Oxford (ohhh, posh). Wandering the streets where other great academics had once roamed — Tolkein, Wilde, Hawking, Theresa May (ahem), had made me feel quite at home. I started to wonder whether I should have made more of an effort throughout my school life, messed around less, participated in positive extracurricular activities, got the qualifications I needed to get in, and had actually applied to go there, but then I thought, that sounds like a lot of hard work and I may never have come second in that pizza eating contest if I’d have chosen that path.

After exploring the historic buildings, like the pub that Tolkein himself used to frequent, the old university grounds, and the Uniqlo that sold those boxer shorts that I like, we ate a Lebanese meal with my brother and headed back to Worcester on yet another pretty train ride.

The next day, I was planning on getting pissed with my friends from University. It’s mad to think that I’ve known these guys since I was ten, because I haven’t. We met at University, I just said that — pay attention. My friends were coming from Cardiff and they suggested meeting in the middle at Chepstow on the border of Wales. After arriving, I quickly found out that it was only 15 minutes from Cardiff and over an hour and a half from Worcester. Haha, they don’t half like a wind up, those guys.

Bros in Chepstow on tip toes.

They had been in Wetherspoons since 10am, so me and Shelby had some catching up to do and we did so in one of the top five pub gardens in the whole country —the Three Tuns Inn. The only thing that was three tonnes by the time we left was my bladder after all the ale I drank, let me tell you (because I’m proper tough and manly). We reminisced over old memories and looked out over the nearly thousand year old castle. I was a little bit tipsy by the time we got back to the train station, where Rich (my so-called friend) twisted his ankle on the bridge and made quite a fuss about it. Maybe that wouldn’t have happened if we’d have met somewhere closer to Worcester, like Cheltenham perhaps, where I’ve heard the floorboards in the bridge have recently been refurbished.

This candid picture was taken just after the incident. You can see Rich looking at his ankle and, from a safe distance, Jake also staring at it, both wishing they were in Cheltenham no doubt.

The weekend came along and with it was the dawning of “Family Day”. In the morning, the family came over to our house and we drank mimosas and Bloody Mary’s. Later on we went over to my aunt’s house for pizza and the main event: Shelby’s Great British Poker Tournament. Joel, wearing sunglasses to disguise his sad little eyes, went ahead early on. He was incredibly cocky the whole time, which made it even more unbearable. I looked like I was heading for an early exit at one point. Down to my last chips, I went all in. I had to win to stay in the game. And did. The weaklings dropped like flies around me after that — Cat was so afraid she didn’t show up; Leah, gone; Lucy, bye bye; Mom, pathetic; Leah, it’s not snap!; Abby, come on now; Mika, no chance; Dad, embarrassingly kept saying that he was getting no cards up his end of the table when I know for a fact he was because of a carefully placed mirror behind him. Down to the last four players, the game started to get interesting. Jack won big and had the majority of the chips. He really let me down with a couple of poor decisions and then I basically bowed out to make him feel better when he lost them all. James came in second and Joel won. You’d think he’d won the Superbowl (that’s basically the Wimbledon Final for the Brits out there).

“And this one is called Cooke, the Baker. Now, do you understand, Joel?”

The next morning, James, Joel and Mika rocked up in a massive clanger of an Mercedes that he had bought recently. He kept saying how it was a cult favorite and everybody wanted one. Yeah, it was a cult favorite alright, looks like the bloody Manson Family used to own it! (Unfortunately, I didn’t say this at the time because it has taken me a couple of weeks to think of it, but I think my silence said basically the same thing). Still buoyed from his jackpot the night before, Joel was ready to splash some cash at the local flea market and I was ready to be told I didn’t need certain items by Shelby and that we couldn’t get them back on the plane anyway. As we turned into the car park, the parking attendant told James to roll down his window. I was half expecting him to tell him to leave because he’d sold him a dodgy motor in the past. Instead, he said “Can you get me one of those cars? I’ve wanted one for ages.” James, smugly smiled.

After we entered, James immediately walked off in no particular direction rather than wandering around with his nephew he hadn’t seen in nearly a year. The rest of us traipsed around the stalls, Joel purchasing a carved wooden candle stick holder shaped like Jesus and Mika spotting a great gift for Ed Ford’s birthday. It was a lamp that had been crudely taped to a cricket bat and ball. It was the tackiest thing in the whole market. Joel was conned into buying some sunglasses that made him look like Ted Bundy and I bought three old West Brom programs for my brother and dad. All in all, a partial success of a market. When we were about to leave, Mika and Joel went back to buy the cricket lamp. They returned sullenly a little while later with no lamp. Remarkably, somebody else had bought it! Howzat!?

Ted Bundy and his weird dog, Bear, who kept jizzing on everything (the dog, not Joel).

After Family Day drew to a close, Monday was unofficially named “Friend Day”. There’s a pub in Worcester that Ali Wilson says is his favourite. For this reason and many others, I have never ever been there. On this occasion, it was worth it. They were hosting a reggae sound system in the garden on Friend Day afternoon. With the sun beating down and the beats booming out, I could see why it was a good place to be, until I went inside to order a drink. I refused to give Joel the money to increase his single whisky to a double. In response, the landlord said something antisemitic about me not paying for it. Fortunately, Shelby was still outside, otherwise he might have been on the wrong end of a Jewish headlock. The music thumped out of the speakers and the droves of white people with dreadlocks bopped their heads in tandem and smoked a special kind of cigarette that had a very distinctive smell to it. I wouldn’t know what that stuff was though.

The next few days flew by like a low flying drone illegally filming somebody’s barbecue. On Tuesday evening, I jogged down to Pitchcroft, the local racecourse to play football with the lads for the first time since my knee operation. Will I ever be the player I was before again? I hope not, as I wasn’t that great and this knee is supposed to be better than the last one according to my doctor, Neil Snapinhaff, I think he’s Dutch (say it slowly to get the full benefit of this excellent joke).

Stoked to be here, folks.

Wednesday, we drove out to Malvern and marvelled at the ancient hills that were said to have inspired Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings (this blog is very Tolkein heavy for some reason). Thursday, we said goodbye to dad and went to Brighton for one final night of fun before hopping on the plane home.

Once in the coastal home of my cousin and her girlfriend, Abby, we went to eat a wonderful curry and had drinks at a cafe with computer games and stuff in. I didn’t much feel like playing games though. I took a moment alone outside and walked to the pebble beach. It was quiet out there, just the sound of the crashing waves to keep me company. I stared across the pebbles. There’s no place like it I said, but I looked around and nobody had followed me outside to hear my poignant statement. I ran back into the building and shouted loudly “I said there’s no place like it!” They all stared at me and then carried on playing their games and drinking their drinks. I suppose, life goes on for these little Englanders when I’m not around. And my great country will still be here for me whenever I need it.

Not the only pebble dashing I’d done that week.

Sidenote: I was astonished to see the amount of kids who now do wheelies down the streets of Worcester. I may sound like a Daily Mail reader here, but I would just like to say that it’s very annoying and frightening for the elderly women who are just trying to stand and look at clothes they won’t buy. If all of you are doing it, then it’s not as impressive, is it? So, I propose you design a schedule that allots a different weekday for all of you to do it somewhere quieter, like, the car park of an abandoned warehouse. Also, I tried the Gregg’s vegan sausage roll and it was so good, I actually thought the woman in there had inadvertently given me a meat one, which, in fairness, she might have done as it was very busy. So have that, Piers Morgan, you daft bell end.

My mad and sound family, plus that guy off Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

#lol #travel #mimosa #comedy #blog #uk #worcester

0 notes

dylan-o-bemyboyfriend · 7 years

Text

Bora Bora~

DAY 1 On the first day, Admin P and I sat next to each other on Air Tahiti Nui for a 9 hour overnight flight to Tahiti. We then boarded a smaller plane to one of the most beautiful Leeward Island, Bora Bora. Looking out the window of our plane, we admired the turquoise blue water peppered with overwater bungalows. Somewhere down below was our bungalow # 19 at the InterContinental Le Moana Bora Bora. Once our plane landed on a motu, a reef islet formed by broken coral and sand surrounding an atoll, an InterContinental staff member welcomed us, placed a lei over our head, took our luggage and placed them in a small boat to take us to our resort. On the boat ride to our resort, we pass the luxurious Four Seasons Bora Bora resort, St. Regis Bora Bora, Le Meridien and the InterContinental Thalasso Resort and Spa. All of them were stunning with clear blue lagoons, exquisite overwater bungalows and plan trees blowing in a gentle breeze. We stopped at the InterContinental Thalasso to drop off some guests on our boat. All of these resorts are located on private motus and not on the main island of Bora Bora. As we approached the InterContinental Le Moana dock, a young shirtless man dressed in a pareu, blew into a shell to alert staff and guests that our boat arrived. It's a French Polynesian tradition. The resort is located on the best beach in Bora Bora, Matira Beach. There are 62 luxury Junior suites built on stilts over the aquamarine lagoon. There is a handful on the lagoon side sitting on the soft white sand beach. We were assigned to an overwater bungalow # 19 that had a sitting area with a glass table that looked down to fish and a coral garden in the clear water. Our bedroom offered two King Size beds and views of the nearby Sofitel motu. The bathroom had a soaking tub and open shower. There were two televisions, Internet service, a refrigerator and couch perfect for reading or napping. We unpacked, put our swimsuit on and jumped into the lagoon from our bungalow. Later we climbed up the ladder from the water onto our dock and took a shower outdoors on the deck to clean up after playing in the lagoon to go to dinner. There are two restaurants at the Le Moana - Noa Noa Terrace Restaurant and the Vini Vini Bar. Both offer indoor and outdoor seating with Polynesian decor. In the evening the resort offers themed dinners with live entertainment at least twice a week. The night we arrived the Noa Noa Terrace was offering an International buffet and live Polynesian dance show. After the entertaining evening, we walked back to our room on the wooden pathway built above the water and gazed at the brilliant star and constellation above. DAY 2 After a morning swim we sat out on the sunny terrace to enjoy a lavish breakfast buffet at the Noa Noa Terrace restaurant. While finishing our breakfast, we noticed guests taking an outrigger canoe. Others paddled into the lagoon in kayaks or paddle boards. The resort has snorkel and fins for guests to check out. A few guests sat under an umbrella on a lounge chair with a good book. The hot season is often the rainy season from December through April, while the dry season is July through October. Outside of the InterContinental is a tour and bike rental shop offering bicycles to ride around the island for $18 a day. We started our ride at Matira beach to admire it's crystal clear water. From there we rode past the closed Bora Bora Hotel to the Bloody Mary's restaurant and bar. Opened since 1979, you check your shoes at the door and walk on the sandy floor. This hot spot has attracted a VIP and celebrity crowd. In front of the establishment is a board listing the names of many of the famous guests who have visited. It's closed on Sundays. Be sure to visit the Men's bathroom - It's one of a kind. The Women's has a waterfall sink with a ring to pull to activate the water. Very cool.

On to the city and port of Vaitape with a few banks, restaurants, stores and pearl shops. Riding back to our resort, we stopped at a few snack shops, saw the Island dump and a few parking lots for locals to park and take a boat ride over to the resorts on the various motus. I was told the Mayor of Bora Bora allowed these resorts to be built on the motus as long at they only built 100 or less overwater bungalows. They also had to hire locals to build the grass thatched roofs and to help staff the resorts. We stopped at the Maitai Resorts for lunch. Sitting on the sand at a table under a coconut tree and gazing out to the Sofitel Motu, we nibbled on Ahi tuna burgers and drank some alcohol free cocktails. When we reached our resort, we turned in our bicycles and admired the fiery sunset as it melted below the horizon. After an evening swim, we dressed and walked along the beach to a sushi restaurant near the Matira Beach hotel for dinner. DAY 3 We took an outrigger canoe and paddled to a popular snorkeling spot after breakfast. Then we paddled over to a Motu to enjoy the white powder sandy beach and shallow clear water. Back at our resort, we walked over to the local store and bought a baguette and cheese for lunch. We sat on our deck and had a light lunch, read a book and took a nap. In the evening, we took a free cab ride to Bloody Mary's. After checking in with the hostess, we walked over to the bar and met Herman the bartender. He fetched us a Bloody Mary and Mai Tai, while sharing with us the history of the ownership of this world renown bar and restaurant. The owner, Sir Dexter from Southern California bought the hot-spot in 1981 from the original European owner. After our cocktail, we walked over to the fresh fish boat to order our appetizers and entrees. We had the choice of grilled fish, chicken, steak and baby back ribs for dinner. Appetizers range from fried shrimp, raw fish marinated in citrus and spices to steak kabobs. Entrees were mostly fresh fish that was caught that morning that included Marlin and Ahi tuna. It's served with steamed vegetables, fruit and white rice. Save room for the warm chocolate cake with coconut ice cream. We got into a small bus with other diners for a complimentary ride back to the Le Moana. DAY 4 Near the resort is the Nono Tour Teremoana tour company. They offer an around the island boat tour with stops for snorkeling, shark feeding, swimming with stingrays and lunch on a private motu. Janko was our guide and entertained us from 9:30 am to 3:30 p.m. singing songs with his small guitar and sharing stories about Bora Bora. The majority of the other guests were French, yet Janko always made sure to speak in English, as well as French in telling his stories. Everyone loved Janko, including the slippery smooth stingrays. They would swim up his body and kiss him on his face as he fed them raw fish. He made us an authentic Polynesian lunch with grilled Marlin, raw fish marinated in coconut and spices, baked taro and tapioca, a delicious coconut cake, fresh papaya and pineapple. He told us about how the U.S. set up a base in Bora Bora in 1942 with over 5,000 servicemen staying on the island for four years. The United States built the Bora Bora airport, paved a road all around the island, strategically placed canons and lookout towers, built a church and deep harbor. After our day with Janko we had a new appreciation of the island. We showered, swam off our dock and walked to a casual pizza restaurant about one block away from the resort. DAY 5

We had to check out by 11 a.m., yet our flight from Bora Bora wasn't until 6:30 p.m. to fly to Tahiti and then to Switzerland, so we asked the front desk if we could take an InterContinental boat ride over to the InterContinental's sister hotel, the Thalasso Resort and Spa on a private motu. We wanted to tour the resort and have a late lunch. The boat ride is not complimentary to the Thalasso Spa and Resort, however they would take us to the Bora Bora airport after our visit. This resort is unique in Tahiti because it uses alternative resources of energy by developing a SWAC seawater air conditioning system. They take the deep sea water cooled by the ocean to save 90% of electrical energy running the air conditioners. The Thalasso Spa is one of the largest on the island located in three overwater bungalows with a see-through floor to see the fish. We had a late lunch at the Sand's bar before showering and boarding our boat to ride to the airport. While waiting for our flight, Admin P and I agreed to come back to Bora Bora soon. It is truly paradise. - Admin T

#borabora #island #travel #journal #australia

0 notes