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geekxgoddess85 · 4 years

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Very Bad Things

~PROLOGUE~ How It Began

“Are you sure a-about this Armin?”

“Of course, I’m sure. You trust me, right?”

Eren bit his lip, giving his childhood best friend a worried look. The two were currently on summer break from Trost University, going into their senior year. For Eren, junior year was a nightmare. If he was to be honest with himself, he had been slacking for the past two years so, when junior year came, he had to buckle down and keep his nose in the books in order to be able to pass the necessary courses to complete his credits. For college, staying an extra year on the count of not passing a course or lack of credits was more normal than one would think. But for Eren, he wanted to make sure he graduated the same time his friends did.

It was one week into summer break and Eren still felt the stress from taking his finals. It was the reason Armin was in his bedroom at the moment, making an account on—on behalf of Eren— on an adult live cam site called Strip ‘N Chat. Eren didn’t know how to feel about it. It was one thing to watch porn videos, but to actually interact with a person via webcam was kind of unnerving. Armin mentioned it was a great way to let off steam and when his best friend brought the idea to him, Eren was a bit…perturbed about it all. It was ironic, though. During their entire lives, Armin had been the conservative, stick-in-the-mud prude who used to balk at the very thought of sex, while Eren was the extroverted, loudmouth rebel. Three years into their college career and look at how the tables turned. Eren was still…well…Eren, but he found himself as the prude. The crazy thing was, Armin lost his virginity their freshman year during a frat party to Jean, of all people, while Eren was still a virgin. After his little tryst with Jean (and a couple of times afterwards), Armin began to blossom and open up in all ways, including sexual. He was openly gay and sexually active. And fucking proud of it all too.

The shit was crazy.

“Okay. Done.” Armin smiled and sat back in his chair. “You’re all signed up and I got ya’ logged in. Here’s your username and password.” He grabbed Eren’s sketch pad and began writing the information down. “Username is SlickxJagger and your password is Sk8terB0i30.”

Eren raised his eyes. “Slick…x…Jagger?”

“Yeah, corny, but cool, huh?”

“No!” He argued. “I sound like a washed up 90’s porn star!”

Armin shrugged and blinked his eyes innocently. “It’s a porn site, Eren. Everyone’s username sounds like a washed up 90’s porn star. Now, you’re all set! I loaded up that pic of you at Krista’s pool party.”

Eren sighed. He knew what picture Armin was speaking of. He posted it on his Instagram and had gotten a ton of likes. He didn’t think it was anything special. It was just him, with his red and white swim trunks on, holding up the hem of his shirt with his teeth, exposing his abs and various fake tattoos. He had grown his hair out—almost to his shoulders—and was a damp mess of a bird’s nest. Because of that and his long bangs, his face was pretty much hidden, though the sun light had shone just right on his sea green eyes, which caused them to sparkle and almost glow. “What do I do now?” He blinked owlishly.

Sitting forward, Armin clapped his hands onto the top of his knees. “Fill in your profile and filter out what you’re looking for. Then you can pick which Cam Model you like and subscribe to them. Every time they go live or post a pic or video, you’ll get a notification. Remember, some of that shit, they charge you tokens. It’s usually the more risqué stuff. The amount is based on their own discretion. And if you want one-on-one’s, you definitely have to pay out the ass with tokens.”

Biting his lip, Eren looked at his profile. He filled in the basic information about his age, height, and build, and his likes and dislikes. He answered everything to the best of his ability and honestly. The only thing he lied about was his name. Instead of his real name, he decided to use ‘Jagger’ as being his first name. He didn’t provide a last name. His preferences came next. He started clicking the various boxes. “Um….okay, I like brunettes. Height doesn’t really matter to me. A muscular body would be nice. Don’t care about ethnicity…..” He continued to click away, with Armin helping him on certain things. “Is that all? Did I miss anything?”

“Yes, you sure did,” Armin replied, with a devilish grin. “And I know exactly which to pick out of Twink or Daddy. Click on Daddy.”

Eren winced. “Ew!”

Rolling his eyes, Armin sighed. “Not that kind of Daddy, Eren. Duh! Daddy kink.” He watched his buddy blink cluelessly at him. “I can’t believe you don’t know what that is. Even I know, dude. It’s when a younger male twink is enticed by an older male ‘Zaddy’. That’s the gist of it. If ya’ wanna know more, google it!” Standing, Armin slapped his hands down on Eren’s shoulders, before wrapping his arms around Eren’s neck, hugging him from behind. “I gotta go. Mikasa asked me to fill in for her at the Café. Did you talk to Annie about your schedule?”

Eren raised his own arms up and behind him, awkwardly wrapping them around Armin’s waist…or trying to as much as he could while sitting in his red and black gamer chair. “Yeah. I have the same schedule as you now so that I can catch a ride with you.”

“Great! I’ll see you tomorrow night.” Armin kissed the top of Eren’s head, before taking his leave.

Eren gave his buddy a lazy wave goodbye with a lopsided grin. When his bedroom door closed, his smile died down and was followed by a heavy sigh. He still didn’t know about this whole cam thing. But he was always up to trying new things. And if Armin liked it, then maybe it couldn’t be that bad.

Over the next hour, he had gone through dozens of pages of so-called Daddies. That process was a little more frustrating that what it should have been. Eren was picky when it came to who and what he found attractive. Not that it was a thing with him anyway, but he didn’t pick based on looks. He couldn’t because all models were required to wear masks for anonymity sake. He thought that was kind of neat. It gave the models a sexy, mysterious look to them. He had to go off based on their profiles and preferences. He had to weed out a lot of douche-bags but narrowed it down to two: The Captain and Dr. Pain. He was kind of skeptical about Dr. Pain. He looked to be into BDSM and while Eren didn’t have anything against it, he had never done anything like that. But Dr. Pain was 6”2, with impeccable styled blonde hair and chiseled features from what he could tell through the mask. They had a few of the same likes and dislikes. Overall, the guy sounded pretty normal, despite liking ‘a little pain with his sex’ (his own words). The Captain…well…there was something about him. He was a shorty, standing only at 5”3. Eren was a full five inches taller than he was. Not that it mattered. He didn’t think their was a height requirement to being a Daddy, but when he googled it, the norm was the Daddy was always taller and bigger than the Twink. They shared a lot of the same likes and dislikes, but what struck a chord in Eren’s heart was The Captain’s eyes. Even through his white, red, and black mask, Eren could see a pair of piercing blue-gray eyes. Almost a light cobalt. They pulled him in as if he were in a whirlpool, being sucked into the abyss.

‘What the hell?’

Blinking back into reality, Eren shook his head and walked to the kitchen. His stomach was roaring at him angrily to feed it. “Mikasa, are you hungry?” He called out to silence. Armin was gone to work, and it seemed like Mikasa had left to go some place too. So, he was alone.

Sighing, he kicked his door closed with his toes and plopped down on his bed. A sandwich and soda sounded real good right now and that’s exactly what he was chowing down.

It was a couple of minutes before ten when a notification sounded out. He thought it was his phone, but when he checked it, he saw that it wasn’t, he furrowed his brows. “Hm—oh! My laptop!” Scrambling off the bed, Eren rushed to the laptop and pressed on the ‘enter’ key to wake his system up. Checking his email, he saw one new message and blinked slowly. “It’s from Strip N Chat.” Biting his lip, he cautiously opened up the notif; reading every single letter that made up all the words.

“The Captain is now online.”

Swallowing hard, he clicked the link that took him straight to The Captain’s page. It was a simple page. There was a large blank box in the middle of the screen that said ‘The Captain’s Quarters’. The chat was at the bottom. There his stans already there talking to each other, waiting for The Captain to show.

And when he made his entrance, it was pandemonium.

“Hello Darlings, it’s your Captain speaking. Did you miss me?" Leaning forward, resting his chin on the backs of his fingers, he winked on cobalt blue eye. "Have I got a story for my horny little Ship Mates tonight.”

Eren watched a grin spread across his face, which he couldn’t see much of it. Like all the models on the site, The Captain wore some kind of masquerade looking mask that covered majority of his face. Only his eyes, hair, and his lips and chin were seen, as far as his face goes. His body…well that was another story.

“Wow….” Eren whispered, mesmerized by the guy’s body. His shoulders were broad, and his arms were toned. And as bright as day, he sported a winged tattoo on his chest, with what looked to be a matching one on his left hip. “That’s so hot,” he whispered. Eren had a thing for tattoos. He wanted some of his own but was too afraid of needles to get any. But fucking A if this guy didn’t look hot wearing his.

“…but first, looks like we got some virgins in the house.” He smirked; a pink tongue coming out to wet his bottom and top lips. “Come on.” His voice deepened, dropping one octave. “I don’t bite.....unless you beg me for it.”

Those very words and the way he said them sent a shiver down his spine and an electric shock to his dick.

“Crew, say hello to our newest Shipmates RainMan95, PoisonedL0v3r, and…SlickxJagger. Mmmm….hey Slick….just how slick is that tight, little hole of yours?”

“Fuck. Me.” Eren’s eyes went blind. He was caught. Hook, line, and sinker or whatever the fuck it was called. The guy had him. Him and his aching dick that was standing on end, making a tent in his sweatpants.

“Speaking of holes mmmm, wait until you hear this one. It about a cute, little Twink with a bubble butt that I ate. All. Fucking. Night. Long. When I was done with him he had a…Slick…hole too, Jagger.” Captain grinned widely. “Wanna hear the story, Crew?” He lowered his voice and his tone. Sitting back in his chair, he reached into his pants and pulled out his enormous, leaking cock and began to stroke it lazily. “Get out your dicks, my lovely little perverts. Come stroke with me down memory lane.”

‘Oh no…’

Eren was fucking hooked.

#VBT #Very Bad Things #Levi #Levi Ackerman #Levixeren #Levi x Eren #Ereri #Riren #Ereri Snk #Levi x Eren Fan #Fan Fiction #Fan Fic #Fanfiction #snk fanfiction #AOT Fanfiction

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8771eh · 5 years

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A Real Thanksgiving

@sidgenophotochallenge

Sid is ecstatic that they are in Canada for the real Thanksgiving. As soon as the schedule had been posted and he knew they were having a couple days between the Leafs and Habs with the Real Thanksgiving landing in the middle of the three day break in October, he rented a cabin where the team, some of their families and staff could all do a dinner. Granted the cottage was only going to be stayed in by Sid and his family.

Its not often he throws around his wants on the team but luckily Rutherford and Sully liked the team bonding aspect and it's a little delay in going back on a plane. In the locker room Dumo keeps teasing Sid about never using his powers for the betterment of the team, which earns him a wet towel being dropped on his head as Olli passes by him from the shower.

"What the hell, Olls?" Dumo chucks the towel towards the laughing naked Finn.

"Isn't that what Americans do-clean their kid's face when he is being disrespectful?" Olli smirks as he pulls up his suit pants and readjusts himself to make sure nothing is caught in the zipper. Dumo grumbles as their remaining teammates laugh at his expense.

Sid smirks from his stall as he sits up from tying his shoes. He leans back and glances over at Geno who is chatting with Murr, Riley, and Brass with his shirt unbuttoned while he gesticulates, pulling laughter from his audience. Sid smiles softly as he pulls his gaze to look at the rest of his team. There were several small groups that added to the noise of the room as some players finished getting dressed and others were lounging around before having to climb onto the bus.

They would come out to the cabin the next morning, but tonight Sid was going to head up to prep the cabin so he could greet his parents and sister warmly when they arrived tomorrow. He was looking forward to being able to have both of his families together for the holiday. His bags were in the rental car he had secured before the game. He had packed extra for this road trip and he knew he owed Dana a new bottle of whiskey for all his help.

"Hey, Sid, look at this pic I just got from Cath." Tanger thrust his phone in Sid's face as he presses on to the bench next to him. Blinking to adjust to the screen in front of him, Sid furrows his brow as he sees a series of texts as opposed to a picture. "What do you think?"

Sid glances at Tanger who is looking at him slightly exasperated. He looks back at the screen and reads the words. It's a conversation with Cath and Taylor. Having his sister in Pittsburgh has been a blessing and a curse. She doesn't let him get away with half as much as he would like to. This Thanksgiving was definitely something he had to wrestle control of. She had been so enthusiastic about a family Thanksgiving with the team that her plans quickly started to become too grandiose. Especially with a couple of the wives and girlfriends involved. The screen was a screen shot of a conversation between Cath and Taylor then Cath's texts to Kris.

/-Is he certain we aren't supposed to try and get there earlier tomorrow? I dont like showing up when the food is supposed to be ready

-Tay, let him host he has had plenty of parties at his place since he became Captain.

-But that's not depending on him cooking everything.

-He's not making all the food, everybody is bringing something. It will be fine. He needs the tasks to do. It's good for him. /

-this is a Crosby thing, isn't it?

"Thank Cath for me, please?" Tanger jerks his head. "You're still ok with picking everybody up at the airport?"

"Not a problem." Tanger's gaze softens as he assesses Sid. "You sure this is what you want to do?" Sid glances at his lap as a soft smile pulls at his mouth. "Alright, don't say anything. I've got your back, Cap."

"Alright, gents, last call for the bus. Get out of here so I can start to break down and go to sleep." Dana steps thru the doorway as the remaining men start to head out the door with random jibes about how Dana never sleeps. As Sid stands, Tanger claps his shoulder before he nods quickly at him and slips into step and speaking rapid French with Brass as they leave.

Sid glances at the only remaining player who is quickly buttoning up his shirt and slipping his peacoat on. Geno smiles and Sid holds out his hand. As Geno twines their fingers together, Sid slips their joined hands into his coat pocket before leading him out with a goodnight to Dana.

***

The drive up was quiet and peaceful. A win meant that Geno and Sid tended to be running on a high, however the benefit of chatting with the boys in the room afterwards is they had allowed some of the energy to wind down. Making the 90 minute drive filled with more ease then restlessness. Geno occasionally will reach out to intertwine their fingers and lift their joined hands to hold Sid's finger tips or back of his hand to his lips while he reads on his tablet.

Sid pulls on to a quiet dirt road. He knows the small road would be a bit rocky as they make their way to the cabin and it does little to disrupt their peace. Sid parks the car outside the garage and cuts the engine as Geno turns off his tablet and slips it into his bag. They exit the car in silence. Sid makes his way to unlock the door and turn on the porch light as Geno starts to pull their luggage from the back of the vehicle.

"We sleep or you want to see how Kings play with baby goalie?" Geno asks as Sid takes his luggage from him.

"I was thinking about just relaxing in the bath after we get everything put away. There's something in the bathroom that sold me on this place." Geno chuckles and shrugs.

"So weird, my Sid." The smile they share is soft and content with years of familiarity obvious before they make their way inside.

***

"A fireplace?" Geno gawks at the gorgeous hearth across from the deep claw foot bathtub. Sid smiles lazily from deep in the tub. He allows his eyes to trace up and down Geno's naked form with a proprietary gaze. When his eyes meet Geno's he has no shame at the raised eyebrow and slight flush that greets him.

"I thought the view would be worth it." Sid let's his gaze slip to Geno's lips before closing his eyes and settling back in the tub, "definitely a worthy a view."

"Clearly you wrong because I'm have best view." Geno teases as he presses a kiss to Sid's head before climbing into the tub betwen Sid's legs and sinking down until he can rest the back of his head against Sid's shoulder. He presses a kiss to the patch of skin closest to him before humming quietly in contentment.

***

"Let's go for a walk. Its gorgeous and the leaves are falling. This is what Thanksgiving should look like." Sid grins, sipping from his coffee mug brightly. Geno nods half awake.

After breakfast, Sid preps the Turkey, and puts it in the oven as Geno puts together a couple cold salads and puts out eggs for a dessert recipe for after their walk.

Sid slides up behind Geno, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "Come with me?"

Geno pushes away from the island and takes his coat and beanie from Sid's hands. He smiles as Sid throws his scarf around his neck and presses a kiss to Sidney's nose before the scarf covers his mouth. Sid chuckles fondly. "Can't have you freezing on me. I'm a bit too fond of you."

Geno makes a noise similar to a purr at Sid's words. He reaches out and readjusts Sid's beanie-he will never call it a toque no matter how hard Sid and their teammates argue. They join hands and make their way out of the cabin.

The backyard presses into a forest filled with trees in various states of autumn colors. Sid guides him off to the side of the cabin where a path has been worn down and leads into the forest. They walk in silence for a few minutes, just taking in the scenary.

"Is it ridiculous that I'm nervous about this?" Finally breaking the silence, Sid keeps his gaze forward. "I know my parents love you. I'm pretty sure Taylor would trade you for me in a heartbeat." Sid sighs heavily and shakes his head. "And the team is the team, you know? It's not like they dont have a hint that we're together." Geno squeezes their joined hands.

"No, makes sense. I'm know Mama and Papa Crosby many years and Taylor so small when I meet her. But is like different that now we together. Like maybe they not like that you love me not like because I am man, but not sure, you know?" Sid nods as he pulls Geno's hand to his lips.

"Well I am Sidney Crosby and I only accept the best for myself when I've worked for it." Sid can see Geno's eyes crinkle as he hears the muffled chuckle.

"Of course, I'm best. Only best for me and Sid is best so of course Sid only deserve best. Work hard for eachother, you know this." Geno glances back at Sid for a moment as they walk and can see a softness to Sid's face. He feels a tug at his hand and stops to look at Sid who has stopped in his tracks. He is looking up at the trees with a set in his jaw that makes Geno think of all the face offs they've taken against one another. There's a determination that both inspires and sets a flame of curiosity deep in Geno's heart.

"Baby?" Geno watches as Sid nods stiffly before making eye contact with Geno and letting out a slow breath.

"Good. That's good." He let's out another breath. "Makes this next part a little less frightening." He adds as he sinks to his knee. Geno stares in disbelief. Sid reaches into his pocket with his free hand and pulls out a small velvet box. "Because I only want to try and be the best for you for the rest of my life. I want to be able to really mean it when I say this is my holiday with teammates and family and know you know you are family. That my parents know and accept you as family." Sid's voice quivers for a moment. "I want to marry you.You are all I want imprefections and all. Because honestly, I don't want anybody else by my side if I never lift a cup again or the next time I do. I want our numbers hanging next to Mario's to mean so much more." Geno's cheeks are wet as he stares at the determined and adoring expression on Sid's face. "I only want to fight with you about which shampoo to buy or where to go on vacation. I want to make plans with you about how to teach our kids about Canadian and Russian culture and laugh as you whisper with them in Russian that maybe one day I will understand. When I think about life after hockey all I want is you and I'm pretty sure you feel the same."

Geno stares at Sid quietly. Sid shifts softly on his knee and glances at the box. "Oh, really?" Sid chuckles and opens the box and turns it to Geno. A thin platinum band sits in the box with deep red ruby and diamond chips embedded in the band. "Zhenya?" Geno glances back at Sid and feels his brows furrow as the color drains from Sid's face. "Why are you shaking your head? I-I thought," Sid pauses and searches Geno's face intently. "You don't want to marry me?" Geno shakes his head vigorously.

"No, Sid. Want to marry you. Want everything you say. You mean most to me in world. I just have ring for you at home." Sid sighs as Geno drops to his knees in front of him. Geno pulls the scarf down and presses his lips to Sid's. "Have to say question."

Sid leans back and sighs before smiling. "Zhenya, will you marry me?" Geno grins and presses a kiss to Sid's nose.

"Yes."

***

Geno wraps his arms around Sid's waist and hooks his chin over his shoulder. Sid is talking animatedly with Jamie, Troy, Matt, and Murr. Geno has had enough alcohol that the English is too much to focus on. He just let's the sound of his friends' voices roll over him.

There is a loud noise before Geno feels a body crash into him and Sid. He looks over and sees long blond hair and felt his hand being pulled away from Sid. Trina is staring at Geno's ring with tears in her eyes and cups Sid's cheek in one hand. She keeps glancing between Troy and Sid wordlessly.

"Its about fucking time!" Taylor cries as she throws her arm around Sid and Geno. Geno has only a moment to brace himself before more people rush into the kitchen to see what the exclamation was about. The hug grows quickly as words of congratulations come from all over. It's similar to the pile that happens when the final buzzer sounds in the final game of the playoffs when they know the Cup is their's but right now they get to enjoy with friends and family.

Sid starts to laugh his happy unguarded goose honk. There are voices speaking in multiple languages over eachother, arms and hands wrapping around him and random lips pressing kisses to his and Sid's cheeks.

Geno leans forward to press a kiss to Sid's ear and whisper, "most thankful for you this thanksgiving."

Sid grins up at Geno with tears in his eyes, "happy Thanksgiving, babe. I love you."

#sidgeno #sidgeno pic fic challenge #forgot the railroad but i guess you can say thats a metaphor for their life moving forward?

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mariakov81 · 3 years

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Hi Maria! Santa is here again. How are you? I am glad that I have the coming weekend off, this week was very exhausting and I bet tomorrow won't be a difference. But hey, only 14 (or 15) days until Christmas! When did I start to ship CS? Well I think I loved the moment on the beanstalk where Killian is really flirting with Emma. I loved how much she tried to ignore the fact that she was falling for him too and from there on I enjoyed season 3 a lot and by the end of season 3 I really fell (1/2)

(2/2) for them. So, I am not quite sure I already asked, but what kind of music do you like (except Christmas music I mean) - I decided to try something and create not only a story but also some pic sets - I hope you will like them and if you ask nicely I might let you see a glimpse of what I am creating for you. Would you like to know or shall it be a complete surprise? Speaking of surprise, when shall I post my gift? 24th, 25th or 26th of December? have a great day

Hi Santa! I hope you are okay!

I am swamped with the work 😁 I have just realised it's Friday today, but it has been only Monday yesterday! Aaaa 😁

We have been having fun since yesterday, because there had been an icy rain and now all the street are covered with ice, and I was crying actual tears yesterday as I was unable to climb a small incline, I was sliding back constantly.

(sorry for being grumpy)

As for your question, I am very curious. I even can open a fic and read it from the end (just to be safe). So I would love to have a small glimpse of course 🙈

My choice of the music goes back to my teenage times, I really love music from 90s and the beginning of 00s. Rock music especially. I fancied Bon Jovi. Especially his "Always", "Bed of Roses", "Diamond ring".

Regarding the posting date I think 25th is okay, and it'll be a day off so I wouldn't be distracted by the work (i hope).

So please enjoy your Friday and a coming weekend, I look forward to your next message!

#cssecretsanta2020 #csss2020

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secretly-homeless · 6 years

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Tuesday, Nov. 28 - Happy Thanksgiving and it’s been awhile.

Well, I realized that I haven’t posted in awhile. Depression does it’s thing. I’ve had some adventures since I was here last. I had a birthday (Sept 1st), looked for an apartment (a lot), went to the hospital (several times), and got sent to another shitty recoup care.

The view from my hospital bed.

First off, I’ve been hospitalized several times because my oxygen went too low (and that’s a layman’s explanation). It happens because I’m holding onto too much fluid and my heart isn’t pumping well. Also, my potassium levels keep dipping too low. It’s all insanely dangerous. Your rate of oxygen saturation needs to be between 90-95%. Mine hovers around 83-84% when I’m awake and plunges to 45% when I’m asleep on a bad night. This will kill me.

Graphic pic under the cut...

So I was in hospital in October and missed my friend’s visit to California and I felt stupid for not taking care for myself better. I should have been there to host her for at least one day of her visit.

I wasn’t 100% at the end of that stay and my doctors desperately wanted to keep me in a bed for another few weeks. I let them talk me into a recoup care. (”Recuperative care”, also another word for “nursing home”.) After the last one I had sworn never again. But I was ill and it was over 100 degrees every day and there was smoke in the air from the fires so I agreed.

Look at that nutritious meal! Full of salt and very chewy.

Let me tell you that every bad thing you hear about state-funded nursing homes is true. I got no care, no oxygen, administered my own respiratory treatments and ended-up ordering my own supplies off of Amazon.com. By Halloween the weather had cleared and I checked myself out. (It was Halloween after all.)

I was ok for about two weeks and then I started having problems with my left foot, which decided to swell like a goose egg and turn bright red. It really hurt, like I couldn’t walk hurt. So I had a follow-up with my GP and asked him to look at my very questionable foot. He decided to admit me because that’s never a good thing.

Despite how it looks it doesn’t hurt. There’s no needle, just a soft plastic catheter that is threaded into a peripheral vein, flushed with saline, and then capped off for later use.

And so back I went. I’m a terrible patient. I fight with my caregivers, won’t wear the c-pap, stay awake all night and insist on sleeping during the day, won’t stay in bed, won’t allow them to do an arterial blood gas draw and all my veins give out on short notice. (Above: Hep-Lock #2. The livid bruise is site of #1 that went south after only a day. I ended-up going thru 3 of them before I got out. The most I’ve ever had in at one time? 3 at once so medications could be fed in simultaneously but at different drip speeds. Remarkably, they don’t hurt. The band-aide on my wrist marks the site of an arterial blood gas draw - which, when improperly done, is one of the most painful things I’ve ever experienced.)

A long drive to bring me gum. That means someone really loves me! (The Sweet Mint is best for removing the taste of hospital food. The other two make you drool like mad. Excelsior!)

This time around I was a lot more open about being in the hospital and friends came for short visits to talk and to drop off chewing gum (keeps your mouth from drying out when you wear an oxygen mask) and Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, they give you Thanksgiving food from the hospital food service, but it’s no match for food prepared in a Filipino kitchen! My doctor cleared me to walk the hallways unescorted as long as I kept my fingertip pulse-ox monitor with me and, after hearing my concerns, agreed no more recoup care.

Home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner. I had to defend my swag from the hungry staff!

This went a long way towards keeping depression at bay, which was good because in my extensive ramblings thru FB I discovered that not only were my oldest brother and his wife in California for a vacation but my niece by my second brother got married this June and he hadn’t even bothered to tell me. That led to a tearful breakdown right as my doctor was coming in to speak to me about that day’s plan. It’s a terrible feeling of betrayal and I do not understand how you can treat family that way. But maybe I’m stupid.

So, I got back out last night. Today was a write-off but tomorrow I need a long, hot shower and I’m meeting my housing coordinator so we can try again. I missed Halloween and Thanksgiving, but maybe I can make it indoors by Christmas.

Thank you for sticking with me. Namaste

#secretly homeless #homeless #homelessness #a home of our own #hospital #medical #blood #food #family issues #trigger warning #illness

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ndakota2017 · 7 years

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We got the last spot in the only campground in Hazen, North Dakota for the night. It had a nice rec room with bathrooms and laundry facilities. The night was cool after a heavy rain during the day. There was a great grocery store across the street and we got provisions after our morning walk and breakfast. We were headed in the direction of the Teddy Roosevelt National Park. As we headed out, we ended up in a construction zone that was going to be 20 or more miles at 25 miles per hour. Luckily, there was a roundabout with an exit onto a highway going north to circumvent the construction. We took it. We figured a longer distance at a faster speed would be worth it. We saw some beautiful country and later on we realize it was a route we were supposed to take as one of the top national scenic highways in America. Talk about being lucky and how things work out the way they're supposed to. We would have missed out on some beautiful badlands scenery. We didn't get as far as we had hoped but we found a nice municipal campground in Watford City. It was very convenient and reasonably priced. We decided to drive toward Williston, North Dakota where there is a lot of oilfield businesses from the Bakken shale oil business. We have seen a lot of oil wells with very large pumps sometimes with four or five pumps standing side-by-side. We had no idea of the scope of the oil fields in northwestern or rather mostly western North Dakota. There are a lot of empty trailers and RVs parked on the sides of the road since there isn't as much drilling as there used to be. We did not go to Williston proper. As we drove along, we saw long hoses or flexible pipelines snaking through meadows for miles at a time. I think they must have been freshwater sources because they were no pollution prevention activities associated with them. We thought them to be 6 to 8 inches in diameter. We toured the Knife River Indian Villages interpretive area at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. The tribes who lived there lived away from the river in the summertime in lodges they built to last 10 years. In the winter time, they built temporary lodges near the river to protect them from the wind and only for one season. They expected them to be destroyed by the river or hostile tribes or others. There were an interesting mix of three tribes who were almost wiped out by the smallpox epidemic in 1837. The smaller of the tribes were integrated into the larger tribe and they were all banded together later on a reservation and are called the affiliated tribes. We just kept driving and saw the Fort Union Trading Post Replication. It was quite interesting and it was one of the few western forts not occupied by soldiers. We then ended up in the north unit of the Teddy Roosevelt National Park which is located in the North Dakota Badlands and little Missouri Grasslands. We have seen a lot in one short week and I for one am getting tired of driving, so we're going to stay in place for a couple days and relax, catch up on the blog and maybe play a round of golf. We found the “last” RV site in the Medora Campground. There were a lot of empty spots after we set up and in the morning many RVs left. It's very nice and it’s close to the entrance to the south unit of the Teddy Roosevelt National Park. A couple pulled in beside us with a Leisure Travel Serenity van which is newer than ours. Linda was putting up the awning and was very friendly. They have only had their RV for two months or so and wondered how we like the Leisure Travel vans. She and Wally were happy to know that this was our third Leisure Travel van and we think very highly of them. They were off to the North Dakota equivalent of Oklahoma at Discovery Land in Sand Springs. We hoped we can speak to them tonight or tomorrow before they leave. Pictures will follow when we have more bandwidth. It's 8:29 p.m. mountain time and I'm calling it a night. Aug 9 It was a very quiet night, peaceful and cool. That's what we like about campgrounds. The quiet hours are really quiet, not like hotels which can be quite boisterous in the evenings. Our campground has beautiful scenery surrounding it. There are two “mountain” ranges on the north and south. I think the campground used to be in a riverbed of the Little Missouri lots of years ago. We did get a chance to visit with Wally and Linda this morning before they left. They were very interesting couple and we have lots of things in common. He is a carpenter and worked as a plant engineer after he got out of the Air Force. She was an executive assistant to a doctor in a hospital in Michigan. He is also a pilot, multi-engine and flies now with one arm because he lost his other arm to cancer about 15 to 20 years ago. Linda had said yesterday evening that some people look at Wally differently and don't know how to talk to him sometimes. I told her being a combat medic I don't have those kinds of reservations because of the things that I saw in the hospital. So we had a great discussion sitting around the picnic table over coffee. He lost his arm because he worked in radar in the Air Force and was standing behind someone at a workbench who was testing out their weather radar and calibrating it. The guy was supposed to put a block in front of the microwave signal and Wally was standing behind him when he got zapped by about a half million watts of microwave. His arm got hot but he didn't go this dispensary about it because when he moved out of the way it went back to normal. When cancer developed in his arm, the doctors couldn't identify it until they send it to Bethesda Maryland. The military doctors recognized it right away as being caused by microwaves. Eventually a VA person he knew in his county convinced him to file a claim even though there was no record of his injury. After 7 years of appeals, he was finally awarded 90% disability and back pay from the time he filed his appeal. He got the last 10% couple years ago. We discussed it in great detail and talked about my accident, etc. He has some great stories about people making jokes about his arm, unknowingly. He said one time he was outside a ice cream shop in line to go in, when a lady in front of them said “I won't go in that store because it costs an arm and a leg.” She turned around and looked at Wally and said “oh my goodness”. He said, “Yeah, I went in there yesterday and I'm not going back again!” He has a good healthy attitude and they both laugh a lot which helps in that situation. They didn't blink an eye when I told him that I meditated and that helped me through my heart episode and surgery. I'll tell you the other two jokes if you ask me. We now have a place to go visit in Michigan and Wally says we must go see the Mackinaw Bridge which makes the Golden Gate bridge look like a tinker toy. I told them to be careful what they asked for, they just might get it. It got cool here for a little bit, down to 65, but the sun's back out and we're going to the park after lunch. This is our R&R day. We took our time and had bacon and pancakes for breakfast this morning, yum yum. Elizabeth is finishing up a load of laundry and then we'll head out. We're having a great time, but we got a stone bruise on the windshield yesterday. USAA will get that fixed in Dickerson, the closest place they have a repair shop under contract. No big deal. We miss our scooter because it’s only a mile or so to go downtown and we could use it on the Loop Road around the park. The next time we'll have everything we need weeks before we leave, not at the last minute.

We will post pics when we have reliable Wi-fi.

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howellrichard · 5 years

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Mini Vegan Caprese Sliders with Melty Mozz Sauce

Hiya Gorgeous!

Summer is right around the corner, I swear! It’s still chilly and kinda gloomy in my neck of the woods, but I can feel the sunshiny days and warmer temps headed our way.

Before we drool over this brand new Caprese Sliders recipe (which I’m gaga for, by the way!), I want to give you a gentle reminder about presence.

After I wrote the first line of this post about summer coming, a lightbulb went off. There I was wishing for the future rather than enjoying what’s right here, right now. Don’t get me wrong—I’m an advocate of daydreaming, wishing, hoping, praying and goal-setting of all kinds. That kind of thinking can be exciting and uplifting in so many ways. But when it takes us out of the present moment too often, we can miss some pretty amazing stuff…

Like how pretty our precious planet is, no matter the weather. And how lucky we are to have the people and fur friends who adore us. And don’t forget about our incredible bodies and what they do every single day to allow our souls to experience this life. It’s the little things, too—the first sip of our morning tea, the way our favorite socks feel on our feet and our capacity to make someone else feel better with just a few kind words.

So why did I keep that first line if it goes against the point I’m trying to make here? Well, I’m a gal full of contradictions, what can I say? Just kidding! In truth, I kept it because I think it’s an important reminder that when it comes to mindfulness and presence, no one is perfect. The best thing we can do is to simply notice when we’re future-tripping or hanging out in the past. Judging ourselves for getting out of alignment is counter-productive, so please don’t do it to your sweet self! Just notice.

Wherever you are in the world (shout out to all of our wonderful friends in the southern hemisphere!), I hope you’ll remember that summer is a state of mind. Notice your thoughts. Choose them wisely. Honor today. And remember that you’re enough now—not tomorrow, not “when”—now.

Speaking of enjoying what’s right here in front of us, let’s talk about this juicy, fresh, flavorful, FUN sliders recipe. When the Test Kitchen Tuesday crew told me what they were cooking up, I couldn’t wait to try it. And of course, the end result totally blew me away!

These Caprese Sliders with Melty Mozz Sauce are so creative and full of flavor. They also feature some of my favorite plant-based ingredients, such as lentils, cashews, miso and tomatoes (no worries if you’re soy, nightshade or nut-free—we’ve got subs for you in the notes!). You can serve them as a snack or with a side to make it a full meal. I think some grilled asparagus or corn on the cob would be the perfect compliment!

Have a gathering coming up? Double (or triple!) this sliders recipe and share with your favorite peeps. They’re pretty quick and simple to put together, so you can impress your friends without tons of prep work or hours spent in the kitchen. Easy and out-of-this-world delish… sounds like a good deal to me!

Alright, ready to cook up this amazing sliders recipe? Bon appetit!

Mini Vegan Caprese Sliders with Melty Mozz Sauce

Serves 4 (4 sliders per serving) | Prep time: 30 min | Cook time: 35 min

Red Lentil Patty Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided ½ red onion, chopped 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup (14 g) julienned sun-dried tomatoes ½ cup (96 g) red lentils, thoroughly rinsed 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium vegetable stock 1 ½ tsp balsamic vinegar ½ cup (40 g) rolled oats ¼ tsp smoked paprika (optional) ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp salt, or to taste ¼ cup (6 g) fresh basil, chopped

Melty Mozz Sauce Ingredients: ½ cup (60 g) raw cashews ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp (90 ml) water 1 ½ tsp lemon juice 1 ½ tsp white miso paste 1 ½ tsp nutritional yeast

For Assembly: 12-16 Campari tomatoes, halved and seeded Fresh basil leaves (optional)

Instructions: 1. In a medium saucepan, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and sauté the onion, carrot and garlic over medium heat. Cook for 8-10 min, until the vegetables are aromatic, softened and golden all over.

2. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, lentils, broth and vinegar. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Gently simmer until the lentils are fully cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed (12-18 min). Let cool for at least 15 min.

3. Meanwhile, place the oats in a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse until finely ground. Add paprika, cumin, ½ tsp salt and fresh basil. Pulse to incorporate. Adjust seasoning to taste with more salt if desired.

4. Combine the oat and spice mixture with the lentil and sun-dried tomato mixture from step 2. If desired, use a food processor or high-speed blender to combine, but the mixture should be fairly coarse, not a smooth purée. Transfer to an airtight container and let sit in the refrigerator for an hour (or 20 min in the freezer) before proceeding.

5. Prepare the melty mozz sauce in the meantime. Place all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor, and thoroughly purée for 4-5 min, until completely smooth.

6. When ready to cook, heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat with the remaining tablespoon of oil. With damp hands, shape heaping tablespoons of the patty mixture into balls about the width of your Campari tomatoes, and flatten slightly. Cook for 1-2 min on each side, until browned.

7. To assemble, place one patty on the cut side of one Campari tomato, stem end-down so they don’t roll away. Top with a heaping teaspoon or so of the melty mozz sauce, and finish with other half of the tomato and a leaf of fresh basil. Use toothpicks to secure if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes: Storage tip: Finished patties can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Melty mozz sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Simplify this recipe: Use small squares of prepared plant-based cheese (such as Field Roast Chao or Follow Your Heart) instead of the melty mozz sauce.

Reheating tip: Reheat patties in a nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side, until re-crisped and warm all the way through.

Make it soy-free: Use chickpea miso paste instead of white miso paste.

Make it nut-free: Replace cashews with raw sunflower seeds.

Nightshade-free: Omit sun-dried tomatoes and serve patties on ¼-in rounds of seedless cucumbers instead of tomatoes.

Nut soak note: If you have a high-speed blender, you can skip soaking your nuts or seeds. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can either soak your nuts or seeds in water for 4 hours, or you can do a “quick soak” by covering them with water in a pot and bringing it to a boil. Once the water boils, remove them from the heat and let them sit for an hour.

These Caprese Sliders with Melty Mozz Sauce from @kris_carr’s #TestKitchenTuesday make the perfect summertime meal!

Are you in the club?

What club, you ask?! The Crazy Sexy Recipe Club, of course! I’ve gotta be honest—if you haven’t joined this awesome group yet, you’re missing out. This week, club members got a gorgeous new Caprese Sliders recipe card, plus a bunch of insider tips and info. If you love cookbooks and playing in the kitchen, you’ve gotta get in on this!

Join the Crazy Sexy Recipe Club to get your free Recipe Club Starter Pack (includes 9 gorgeous recipes cards!) today:

Your turn: Share your yummy Caprese Sliders with me!

Whether you’re cookin’ up a storm or sitting down for a cozy meal with your crew, I wanna see! Snap a pic of your sliders and share it on Instagram or Facebook with #TestKitchenTuesday. Don’t forget to tag me at @crazysexykris—I’ll share my faves with our spectacular community!

And finally, a very special thanks to the incredible Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog and the rest of the Test Kitchen Tuesday crew for helping to create this spectacular dish!

Peace & succulent sliders,

The post Mini Vegan Caprese Sliders with Melty Mozz Sauce appeared first on KrisCarr.com.

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lifedefused · 6 years

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New Post has been published on Life Defused

New Post has been published on http://lifedefused.com/week-1-on-the-camino/

Week 1 on the Camino

Day 1: So today started out at 7am. At least the walking. I started by myself but quickly had someone on my heels. He stayed there till I sat to switch shoes. A German guy who asked if everything was ok. I started out in hiking shoes today and about 1 hour in, realized I needed to switch to runners. I skipped breakfast where I was staying because it was bread and jam. My attempt to be “healthy”. So I stopped at the first store and grabbed and apple, cheese, and corn-nuts. The last two items I never did eat. Yet. As I came out of the store, another pilgrim was approaching but I stopped to wash my apple and fill my water bottle. He stopped to have a chat and we ended up walking for miles and miles together. I learned about Ian. A guy in his 60’s (this is important later) who was from Scotland but lived in New Zealand for 26 years. His wife was a professor so we had a bit to chat about. A lot actually. We talked and the time went by so fast. Ian almost missed the signs a few times but luckily he had me to correct him. First clue. Anyway, we got to a village called Valcarlos which could have been a stopping point almost half way but it was only 10 and we felt so good. We didn’t even stop for a drink. Wrong choice. Ian didn’t bring water and I had my bottle so I shared with him over the next few miles. We chatted and everything was great. Till the 4.8km left mark. It started to get muddy and I was in my runners. Ian decided my caution of slipping was too slow for his taste. Which honestly I couldn’t blame him. So he went on ahead. Yes, I got left in the dust by someone twice my age. He was killing it. I decided to switch back into my hiking shoes but with no where to sit, I plopped myself on a cold wet stone. It was plenty of snow and mud at this point and I feared my runners just weren’t good for the job. I passed through the mud. Quickly to learn that was the easy part. All while thinking how crazy the amount of mud there was and how my shoes were so heavy. Little niave to what was ahead. When the sign said 4.8km I was expecting just over 1 hour and I would be to my resting spot by noon. Perfect for lunch. Boy was I wrong. Snow is the culprit. As I climbed, the deeper the snow got. At some points as high as my knees. I made pace with a Korean family where they would pass me and me them but eventually they would leave me behind. My lower back was on fire. Surely it was the 2lbs extra I decided to pack last minute. Not to mention I was walking through ankle high snow and eventually I couldn’t walk 25 yards. I ended up being passed 2 more times. At one point 3 American ladies hollered at me from the road asking if I wanted to join them. My stubbornness prevented me from doing the better thing. I kept going through the snow and slowed to a snail’s pace. I was born to do the Camino though. Never can I take the high road. My feet soaked and pissed at myself I thought about what if I just sit in the snow? Would someone walk past and help carry my bag? At this point it was no longer a walk but a march, lifting my knees high trying to step where previous pilgrims had gone. I eventually made it to a point that turned left to stay on the route or right to go to the road. So in all of this what did I learn? Stubbornness took me left. Again!!! I got 100 yards and realized I would soon be hip deep in snow. So I turned back around and took the road the last 15 minutes to the town where I would be staying. First stop, a beer. Before finding my final rest place I needed calories and water. Beer was perfect. Once here the lady tried to overcharge me by 2 euro for dinner but got that worked out. The place is nice and my bunk-mate is American. You don’t get to pick your bed, it is all how your arrive. I thought for sure I was near the back of the pack but more like the middle. I did my chores which is shower and hand washing my clothes. I then decided to go for wine and invited my new friend Ian and 2 other guys he was chatting with. We went for a bottle and dinner. I lasted through the meal but left abruptly because all I really wanted after wine and food was a bed. It was a day that I am not sure how I did it. Also not sure why because today was insane. However the hard part they say is over. Yet today was great weather and tomorrow the prediction is rain. I don’t have blisters. I swore I would because my feet got so wet. I climbed a mountain today!!! So all is good with a good night rest, I hope. Walked- 17.7 miles (over the mountain) Total time walking: 8 hours Spent- 28.50euro

Day 2: Woke up at 3am but around 4 I fell back asleep. My sleeping is horrible. I left at 7am again today. With a blister unfortunately. I was quick to judge last night because I woke up with a blister this morning. A beautiful sunrise as you will see in the photos. I walked and walked with no breakfast. I did watch a lady fall on the ice behind me as I changed shoes. The first 3 miles was so much snow and ice. Another morning of marching, if you can call it that. If you have ever walked in sand, this is that times 1000x. So much ice too. So the first bit was no fun. Ian went for breakfast and caught up to me. At his pace we caught up to another group. That was of course after watching a fox in the snow. I ended up at the back of the group with a Brazilian. Ramon (pronounced with an H not R) is his name and he is an environmental engineer. Our group walked together to the “midway” point. I say that because we ended up having to walk our happy asses onward later. When we got to our stopping point for the day, we found the alburgue (pilgrim hostel) was closed. Fortunately my little Camino family, because that is what we are to this point and have gathered for dinner each night, also decided to move forward. It was Ramon and I and he was so patient. I ended up with a crazy blister so I limped. Changing shoes from my runners to my hikers. Always at the wrong point. After we got to what we thought would be our stopping, we walked on another 4 miles almost. It was so worth it. We met the most amazing shop owner. The kind of place you get a cup of wine as soon as you enter. Then food after being there for 2 minutes. You can see the festive moments in the pics. So we celebrated in good fashion. After returning to where we would stay for the night, I somehow talked the guys into stretching. They were good sports. Out of the 14 people staying here I am 1 of 2 girls. The pilgrim meal was good. First time for vegetables in a minestrone soup. I am not eating bread or pasta nor sweets. Beer and wine are the bad things I am not giving up. We get wine with all of our meals so a plus for sure. One of the guys played music and sang after dinner. Minus the brutal morning and the blister, today was great. Off to Pamplona tomorrow…. Probably taking a rest day the following day. Not sure how I can walk tomorrow. Total distance: 21.4 miles Total spent: 33:50 euro Time walking: 7 hours Gentle reminder: Fight all the hatred in the world with love.

Day 3: Today I didn’t wake up till close to 7. Ramon and I agreed to walk at 7:30. Perfect. I don’t have an alarm and as pilgrims we know if we don’t make it, that is ok. But made it. Today Ramon and I got joined by Martin (Austrian) and Eric (Netherlands). It was an easy walk. On a scale, day 1 is 5 of 5, day 2 is 3 of 5 and today was 1 of 5. However, I ended up with my second blister. Martin and Eric were on mission for breakfast and coffee. Eventually they gave in and ate what I had bought the previous day. Banana, raisins, yogurt, cornnuts (from day 1), and cheese (also day 1). Eventually we did find coffee but it was sclose to 11. It was a short and easy day but the blisters are a real thing. A force I struggle with. See, out here you walk with people for so many hours, you form a bond. They call it the Camino family. I am scared that tomorrow I can not walk because of my feet but my family goes on… So, I have a choice to make in the AM. We will save that for tomorrow. Tonight we are staying in a German albergue. Upon arrival I learned that there is an American here who is hurt. I guess the snow put some people down. An Italian guy also arrived and is hurt. They have tendonitis which thankfully I am not dealing with. Yet. So of course I ended up at dinner with a Texan, Italian, 2 Germans and me. I again have only seen 1 other girl staying here. One interesting observation I have made is 90% of the people walking, have significant others. Some with children back home. Today was my first time seeing a couple team which is the only female I have seen here today. The injuries are setting back some people for days. Makes me sad to think the people I have shared dinner or time with, no matter how brief, might be gone tomorrow if I stay behind. As you will see in the pics, we help each other. The German (Dominic) offered to walk with me and carry me if needed because he is well…”German” and he said that is what Germans do. They get the job done. Pretty sure he is my favorite German to this point. He speaks very little English but he always listens and I think he knows more than he leads on. Plus he said f@&k Germany after 2 glasses of wine and not because I was complaining about them (which I have been know to do). I equate them to east coast, cold and rude at times. Not always but most of the time. Give them alcohol and they party. They are the best at that! Anyway, I am broken now due to good sized blisters one on each foot. The weather is in my favor as I walked through little rain today. The people are the best. My kind of people. I belong here. I have told my story a few times in hopes to inspire and people have so many questions. Some hard to answer. Today Martin asked about siblings and how many I have and if I am close to them. That broke out my background and it the first time I had someone try to dig deep. We also learned over lunch he is a type A. So tomorrow I want to keep walking but for now I sleep. Tonight we got in trouble thanks to the time changing because there is a 10pm curfew. The time shouldn’t change technically change till midnight but I am at a German albergue and we know how Germans are… hehe…. Go KSU!!!! Total distance: 14.5 Money spent: 22 euro Time walking: 5 hours or so…

Day 4: Good News… I walked today. Last night my fear was I would not be able to move forward today. However, when I woke up I felt good enough so I left Pamplona. Today we set off about 7:30am. Yesterday there was 4 of us but we grew by 1 as one of the Germans decided to join us Philip. Plip was the German that asked me on day one if I was ok while I changed my shoes. Today was a big climb and going down was tough on my blisters. Great weather though! Little rain and just some mud so we are out of the snow. As you will see from my coffee shop picture on breaks, we tend to our feet. It is normal here and even had to help Martin (Austrian) to put on his blister cover. If you hate feet, this is not the place for you. People flash them everywhere and obsessively talk about them. They are the key to survival. I have no more blisters today. Thankfully!! The nice thing about the group is the rotation. You will walk with 1 person for a bit, then someone else, then maybe alone, then a group. It was constantly changing and makes for interesting conversation and the time goes by quick. Today while I walked alone I listened to the book “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a f#&k”. I highly recommend it and I am only 4 chapters in. We reached a famous spot today that shows the pilgrims walking. If you have ever seen the movie “The Way” you will know the spot. If not, check the pics I will post. The views from the top were worth the climb. It feels nice to have a tribe where we look after each other. Share stories, share Band-Aids, muscle cream, water, food, and the sorts. When we got to the place we are staying, then 5 of us take up a room of 8 people. The other 3 are individuals and 2 are girls! Finally more girls. My guys are pretty cool. We started together and ended the day together. Although my body hates me, my heart is full. My stomach, not so much. We went to restaurant and was served frozen meals. We watched the lady carry the food frozen and watched her pop it into the oven/microwave. Such a disappointment but now a running joke between us. To top it off, a friend back in Italy sent me pics of Bansko playing with her dogs. First update we have had on him in 6+ months. So glad to see the pup we rescued happy and that we have good friends to share the update with us of tons of pics. Total time: 8 hours Total distance: 17 miles Money spent: $30

Day 5: We got up pretty late today and didn’t hit the road till around 8am. Man down!!! We had to leave Martin behind. Due to injury of blisters and knee hurting, he opted for a rest day. We started out walking in some rain but the weather got better as we went on. It is now the 4 of us, Ramon (Brazilian), Eric (Netherlands), Philip (German) and Me. Funny thing, Philip is the first guy I met on the first day that asked me if I was ok while changing my shoes. At the time, I didn’t know how to respond or what so I didn’t even try to talk to him. We walked through what I would call rolling hills, not really mountains like day 1. My blisters are ok but my feet feel like they are on fire at times, at least on the ball where the blister is located) I had to stop at the pharmacy and get some supplies. My objective is to try to walk normal so that I don’t hurt myself more. So I take plenty of ibuprofen. Every day I have been playing the 500 mile song. It has become a tradition and even got the guys singing along. I ran into the American girl I had met on night 1 with like 10 blisters. She was still making it along. For lunch we stopped and had some soup and met a girl from Sweden who recommended a alburgue that offered yoga and massages. The guys were sold! I was sold too because it was closer and my blisters are killer. However, day by day they are getting better and better. When I first start walking I want to scream so loud! The whole stop go thing isn’t so great for my feet. I keep truckin’ though and having a great time. We met an Australian family (mom, dad, daughter) and told them about the alburgue. They showed up at the place where we are staying also. I had to get some work done so I hid away in the room for the afternoon. Philip shared with us an amazing story about why he was doing the trip. His best friend passed away 10 years ago and his friend really wanted to walk the Camino, so he is doing this in memory of him. Such a special story. The dinner was amazing. Paella and chorizo was so amazing. Best meal we have had to this point.

Total time: 6 1/2 hours Total distance: 12 miles Money spent: 54 euro (pharmacy supplies were 25)

Day 6: We hit the road at 7:30am. Again it was the four of us. Ramon calls us the wolf pack. A few miles in, we stopped at a store and grabbed stuff for a picnic. We knew that today was the day of the wine fountain so we wanted to come prepared. Yes, you read that right. A wine fountain and the best part?! It was free. To be honest though, it wasn’t that great. However, we had our picnic with a bottle of wine that we brought from the night before that we didn’t finish. So we made a small breakfast spread of wine, cheese, and chorizo. Nothing like getting a party started at 10am. Today I put in my earbuds and was set to just walk alone. That I did. One of the parts of the Camino is a reflection. I listened to my book and some music. However, I spent my day walking in reflection. The rest of the group seemed to do the same. Philip walked ahead most of the day and then we would find him waiting for us. On our stops we would interact but the walking part was done mostly alone today. Matty received some information from his job pressuring him to sign a new contract so I could tell he was struggling. So during one of our breaks, I called him to encourage him. Shortly after, I received news that our apartment would no longer be available past our May contract. So we will be moving apartments again soon. We stopped at a bar food truck area made for pilgrims and had the best orange juice of my life! Upon arrival to the place we are staying, I took off my compeed from my blisters. It was the first time I have uncovered them since getting them. The guys were blown away that I walked. You will see in the pics of why. Philip said that they aren’t even blisters, they deserve a category of their own. Ramon said anytime something happens, like losing a finger, he will remember me and carry on and that I impress him more and more every day. Eric called me iron woman and they all agreed to carry my bag tomorrow. Of course my stubbornness won’t let that happen. They are clean and no infection so that is a huge plus. Every day we meet people who can’t carry on or they are recovering so they can, so I am so thankful.

Total time: 7 hours Total distance: 16 miles Money spent: 39 euro

Day 7: We reached the one week mark today! Left at 7:30 with beautiful weather and a great forecast. Today we were much more interactive. Met up with the Australians multiple times who have earned the name boomerang for the reason you can imagine. Claire (daughter) ended up having to take a bus forward. We walked far today. The road felt like it keep going forever. My bag felt like someone was pushing down on it once we got closer to the end. We have the same distance tomorrow. In fact, I was so into the process today, I didn’t take but 1 picture before getting to the city. I can finally walk without feeling so much physical pain that it is all I can focus on. So today I enjoyed the walk. I walked with Philip mostly today and we had wonderful conversations about life. Everyone is here on the Camino for their reasons and sometimes it is nice to just have a real conversation about it all. Eric is full of great advice too. He overheard some and put in his bits of wisdom. To put a cherry on top of our day, it was amazing food. Matty asked the other day why I don’t talk about food. I haven’t had much of a reason till now. As you will see from the photos, we are all considering skipping the rest and staying here to get fat. I only kid. Somewhat… It was a great day for food and friends. And some walking. Only for the distance I am not look forward to tomorrow.

Time walking: 8 1/2 hours Total distance: 19.23 Total spent: 48 euro (but I owe 10 more to the group)

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