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Most ecosystems now reflect the presence of people, from pristine Arctic lakes to deserts. This could be indisputable evidence that humans have altered the atmospheric, geologic, aquatic and living systems on the planet. This should not be surprising. It is unlikely that 7 billion people inhabiting the planet would fail to alter it. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the changes have been so great that many scientists now believe we are entering a new epoch of time, the Anthropocene – meaning "New Man" – Epoch.
While the Industrial Revolution is often considered the time when our influence on the planet became irreversible, the agricultural revolution began to change our landscape thousands of years ago. When early man domesticated animals and learned how to use tools, he learned how to grow his food. Trees were an important source of fuel and wood, and as populations started to increase, deforestation began on a massive scale. In 1086, William the Conqueror found less than 15% of the natural forest remained across the entire country of England. In China, during the Han Dynasty over 2,000 years ago, 56 million people needed trees for fuel and land for the people. Cedar trees once lined the road between Baghdad and Damascus through what is now a desert landscape. As those forests were growing, they pulled massive amounts of carbon out of the atmosphere and stored it in trees. By cutting down the trees, the carbon began to return to the atmosphere.
Soon the water cycle was disrupted. People began to cluster in small cities, often built near water sources. They learned how to harness the power of water, manipulating the flow of rivers to suit their needs. Eventually, huge earth dams were built to control the flow of water and the courses of rivers were modified. To grow more food to feed the people, farmers began irrigating their fields, pulling water out of the rivers. As a result, rivers that had been around for thousands of years are now often dry. The once-massive Aral Sea in the former Soviet Union is now a shadow of what it once was. Cleared forests could no longer hold in the water, and erosion became a problem. When dams failed, flooding became an issue. While the strongest winds of Hurricane Katrina missed New Orleans, the failure of several levees devastated the city, killing over 1,000 people.
Today, pockets of earth are made up of huge concrete and steel cites. Entire ecosystems have been destroyed to make room for urban centers that continue to sprawl beyond their borders. We have to dig deep into the Earth to supply the concrete and coal needed to build our cities. So many plants and animals have been sacrificed in the name of urbanization that we now face a new mass extinction. As we search for more oil, gas and coal to fuel our cities, more ecosystems are disrupted.
The Alberta tar sands are one of the most controversial sources of energy of this century. Such deforestation in Canada could rival deforestation in the Amazon Basin. In order to continue with its tar sands, Canada will fail to meet its 1997 Kyoto commitments and is refusing to sign any further accords. In the United States and England, a controversial method of releasing natural gas out of rocks known as 'fracking' is compromising drinking water supplies, releasing toxic chemicals into the environment and causing small earthquakes.
Even the vast oceans are being affected by humans. As pollution increases, the water becomes more acidic, affecting the lowest level in the food chain and threatening oceanic diversity. In the Pacific Ocean, high levels of plastics rotate around the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. As the Earth warms up, the Arctic icecap is shrinking, which raises sea levels, threatening coastal areas and increasing the frequency and intensity of storms. We now also send so much fertilizer down rivers that dead zones are on the rise in the ocean and are visible from space.
The most discussed human-induced change to the planet, however, is global warming. Carbon that was naturally deposited into the Earth over millions of years is being returned in less than two centuries. Unfortunately, while we have been debating the harmful effects of the carbon cycle, the nitrogen cycle has been ignored. The fixing of nitrogen from the atmosphere into useful compounds is increasing rapidly. About 40% of nitrogen in the protein we eat today comes from artificial fertilizer. Without this artificial fertilizer, there could not be seven billion people on the planet. But excess nitrogen is dumped in our ecosystem at a rapid pace, entering our water systems and causing undesirable growths. Nitrogen feeds thousands of toxic algal blooms, pulling oxygen out of the aquatic system and leading to dead zones. Nitrogen pulled from the atmosphere was also used in many bombs for 20th-century warfare.
One thousand years ago, conventional wisdom placed the Earth at the center of the universe. As our understanding increased, we realized that the Earth was billions of years old and just a small part of the universe. As we learned about evolution, homo sapiens were placed on a single twig of the tree of life. The Anthropocene Epoch reverses this trend, making humans central to the workings and elemental in the forces of the natural world. It is this knowledge that leads us to think that we are severely modifying the planet.


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Remember - It IS Our Duty to Vote Pro-Life Tommorrow!!!!!
I have spent the last ten days spreading the Gospel of Life in Hawaii. Yes, sometimes our ministry demands that we take up even the most difficult of missions!
All joking aside, it has been a wonderful and fruitful tour, and I've had the pleasure of speaking to hundreds of Hawaiians in Churches and other venues. While it is difficult to imagine climate and ethnic traditions more distinct from Rome, it is always a blessing to find fellow faithful Catholics whose hospitality and faithfulness help one to feel at home.
What a zeal for life I have experienced here among the Catholics and Protestants (indeed, it sometimes seems as if Protestants outshine Catholics in their outspokenness in defense of life)! The other day I was especially moved by the stirring testament of a Jewish convert who spoke eloquently of his commitment to defending life and family.
The high point of the trip, however, was being able to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in St. Philomena Church, a small chapel built by St. Damien of Molokai. His was such a powerful witness to life and holiness and his influence still permeates the people and the island where he sacrificed so much to serve and evangelize those cast aside by society.
St. Damien's holy courage is so needed today. As one of the newer saints of the Church, his example of sacrifice and bold proclamation of the truth is especially timely for us. Talk about a man who lived his faith in a coherent manner: he famously risked his own health, and ultimately gave his life, to care for many who suffered the ravages of leprosy and were shunned by society. But he never saw his service as being limited to mere physical comfort and healing: he knew that to comfort the body while doing nothing to save the souls of those given to him would be unjust. The Church sees the human person as being a unity of body and soul, not merely a physical being or just a soul with a body attached to it. To truly serve the human person, we must not only address his physical needs, but must address his spiritual needs as well, by living and preaching our faith.
Again, what a consistent example of our faith we see in St. Damien. And this example applies to how we live our faith in so many ways. Next Tuesday, Americans have the opportunity to rally against truly unprecedented the assaults on life and freedom that we have seen since the most recent change in political leadership. We have been discussing how our faith applies to the relevant issues (see here, here and here) and insisting that Catholics and all Christians strive to live their faith coherently, including in how they vote.
To be sure, our vote is only one facet of how we must live our faith in public, but when our moment comes we owe it to ourselves and to the One who gave us this great gift of freedom to make the most of it. If we do not take this key opportunity to select representatives who will defend all human life and dignity, who will defend natural marriage and traditional family, and who will take a stand against ruinous and immoral economic policy, we abuse our freedom. Neglect is a form of abuse. Imagine if all Christians who truly believed in their faith would do everything they could to vote in a manner consistent with their faith, and help others who had difficulty in voting to do so as well. Now that would be change that we could believe in.
St. Damien's example of lived, consistent, courageous faith shows what happens when one gives himself entirely to Christ. This kind of extreme courage is a gift to be sure, but in every moral choice we make, we are either preparing ourselves to shoulder more courage, or we are turning away. Our Lord wants to give us all the kind of courage he gave to Damien, and it is up to us to ask for it in prayer, and live in a way that shows that we can handle it and the other virtues we need to be more like Him.
Your vote next Tuesday is one small way to step up to your responsibilities. See also if there is anyone in your community who may have difficulty voting, and see what you can do to help them get educated about the choices and cast their vote. Finally, pray that the will of God be done in this very important election: that truth, life, family and marriage be honored in the choices made by our fellow Christians and all people of good will.
Saint Damien, pray for us.
Saint Philomena, pray for us.
Saint Thomas More, pray for us.
All holy men and women, pray for us.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula
Interim President, Human Life International

subset: commoncrawl


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This study module will provide in-depth understanding of selected research areas in game and internet studies.
After completing the module, the student will be able to understand advanced issues is games and internet research, and formulate analytical and critical responses to published research in selected areas of specialization.
Research questions in games and interactive media literacy:
a) Playb) Games and informationc) Politics and power in digital cultures
a) Play:- David Myers (2009): Play Redux- Thomas S. Henricks (2006): Play Reconsidered- Mary Flanagan (2009): Critical Play
b) Games and information:- Jørgensen, K. (2013). Gameworld Interfaces.- Sicart, M. (2009). The Ethics of Computer Games.- Consalvo, M. (2007). Cheating: Gaining Advantage in Videogames.
c) Politics and power in digital cultures:- Castells, M. (2012), Networks of Outrage and Hope- McChesney, R. (2014), Digital Disconnect- Taylor, A. (2014), The People's Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital Age
And yearly changing book and article selections. See course page.


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The Wigner distribution function (WDF) matrix is introduced, and its analytical propagation expressions in free space and the corresponding far-field forms are derived for the first time. It is shown that the propagation expressions for the WDF matrix have general applicable advantages and reduce to those for the WDF of partially coherent scalar paraxial beams within the paraxial regime. The application of the WDF matrix to the partially coherent vectorial nonparaxial beams is illustrated with vectorial nonparaxial Gaussian Schell-model beams.
© 2005 Optical Society of AmericaFull Article | PDF Article
OSA Recommended Articles
Yucheng Zhang and Baida Lü
Opt. Lett. 29(23) 2710-2712 (2004)
Kailiang Duan and Baida Lü
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 21(10) 1924-1932 (2004)
Martin J. Bastiaans
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 3(8) 1227-1238 (1986)


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Starburst Slot Review & Free Play
NetEnt have really brought entertainment to our slot machine screens. With such a great reputation in the slot machine industry, they have produced some magnificent slot and spins casino games to our online casinos. One of these wonderful slot games being Starburst, which comes with a demo free play version, so you can test it out.
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The Starburst wild can take over any of the three middle reels and can pocket you up to 3 re-spins. These re-spins can also win you prizes at no additional cost! Remember, this can only be activated when the Starburst is visible anywhere on reels two, three, and four. To make the slot game more convenient for its players, there is an auto-play mode, this basically allows players to just sit back and be hands off, watching the slot machine spinning and spinning.
The game is distinctive for its' feedback feature. This means that the game triggers various noises and animations as you progress. This adds to the fun of gameplay, and comes to a head if you go on to receive a big win.
Another benefit of this slot game is the betting stakes. This topic can really put players off playing a certain online casino game, especially if the minimum stake is too high. However, with Starburst slot, the minimum bet is just £0.01! There is also a maximum stake of £100 per spin. This is great flexibility for slot machine players as it can accommodate for players with a range of budgets. It is really down to how lucky you are feeling, with a potential of winning up to £50,000. TC apply.
Bonus Features
Some players may consider this particular slot game to consist of only a few symbols, this can add to the possibilities of winning as these symbols become more apparent each time a player spins, which sort of helps the 10 playlines issue.
Blocks of symbols is also another method to winning, for example, getting a diagonal line of the same symbol can create a win. In this slot game which can differentiate it from others, players are able to win from left to right, this creates more winning possibilities for players.
Starburst Free Play
You can test drive the wonderful starburst game with a free play version, which is available as a demo, at no initial cost, so you can try before you buy.
Starburst RTP
This particular slot game, Starburst, has a 96.1% RTP. This is typically an average RTP for slot machine games. In case you were unsure as to what this means, basically, it means it is a simple and easy game to play with a relatively high chance of winning extra cash.
Starburst Slot Review Verdict
Taking into consideration the pleasant graphics and visuals of Starbust, the RTP, the entertainment factor and also the simplicity of it, I would certainly recommend this slot game for players that are new beginners and also regular slot machine players. One way to experience it up front is to play the Starburst free play demo version, so you can try before you buy.
The only real disadvantage to this game is the lack of paylines. However, it is worth having a look at and seeing whether this game suits you and is why your casino luck lies. To conclude our Starburst slot review, it is certainly a brilliant Net Entertainment slot game to add to their collection, applicable for desktop and mobile casinos.


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Apartment Building Management Services
For Developers & Building Owners
Advent is a fully Licensed Real Estate company, specializing in Residential Rental Property Management. We currently manage 800+ individually owned properties in Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Surrey and Squamish.
For the past thirteen years we've built Advent's services and reputation to be the best in the industry. Executive level customer care is our mandate, our Clients and Tenants alike benefit from our hands on, team oriented service. The support provided to our Property Managers by our Assistants and Administrative Staff is invaluable to our Clients and Tenants, we believe in being proactive and managing through strategic policies and procedures streamlining the management process.
To market your apartment building ADVENT will provide the following services:
- Begin an advanced marketing campaign to compress the stabilization period
- Start an online and Social Media campaign to create a buzz and interest in the property
- Utilize on-site banners and use our current ad campaigns to focus on your building, such as bus ads, car ads etc…
- Pre-qualify tenants to move-in upon receipt of Occupancy Permit
Creating a buzz and interest in the building is the key to stabilizing the asset quickly while still taking the time we need to place the right tenant!
To lease the apartments ADVENT will provide the following services:
- Provide a full evaluation of the property and market rental rates
- Field all calls and interest from perspective tenants
- Show the property to perspective tenants
- Screen tenant applications; credit checks, landlord references, income confirmation, personal references etc…
- Execute all documentation, Lease Agreements, Addendums, Rules and Regulations, Move-in Condition reports, parking stall agreements etc…
- Coordinate all move-ins and outs
Placing the "right tenant" is more valuable than placing the "tenant right now". Long term tenants, low turnover and fair rental income will keep your investment stable!
To manage the tenancies ADVENT will provide the following services:
- Collection of Security Deposits and Rents
- Deposit all funds into a dedicated Real Estate Trust Account
- Coordinate all repairs and maintenance for the apartments, including warrantied items.
- Provide 24 hour emergency contact for Tenants
- Handle all tenancy disputes, including non-payment of rent, complaints, damages etc…
- Appear at all Arbitration Hearings on the Landlords behalf
- Regular in suite inspections to ensure the tenant is maintaining the property to the Landlords' Standards
- Manage annual rent increases as set our by the RTA
Fostering a meaningful relationship with the tenant ensures that they are taking excellent care of your investment!
To manage the building ADVENT will provide the following services:
- Hire and supervise a Building Manager (on-site or not)
- Manage and pay Service Agreements for ongoing proactive maintenance in the building, HVAC, Elevator, Landscaping as needed
- Purchase equipment and supplies as needed for the caretaker
- Inspect the building and grounds regularly
- Arrange Insurance for the property
- Financial Management and Reporting
- Optimize operational expenses with a proactive regular maintenance program to avoid large repair expenditures
Proactive maintenance programs and service agreements will keep your expenses down and manageable. The more we can avoid "unexpected" repairs the more we can save your cash flow!
For more information, send your contact info to Advent and a Building Specialist will contact you!
Note: This form is for building owners and developers only
If you are a tenant looking to rent a property, do NOT use this form


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Courtney Robertson's 'Bachelor' episode 2 one-on-one date: What is she hiding?
Last night Courtney was in rare form portraying the quintessential, classic, egotistical, b!tchy LA model that Bachelor viewers love so much. "I would like a one-on-one date. It would be like a shot in the arm that I could use right now," she tells the interviewer, even quoting Charlie Sheen's famous… Read More →


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FEM APAC EMMAs 2017 - Hong Kong - September 7
The EMMAs are the premier Global Mobility Awards for the APAC region
The APAC Expatriate Management and Mobility Awards (EMMAs) was an evening dedicated to celebrating success, best practice and outstanding contribution to global mobility. The awards celebrated the best and brightest of the global mobility industry and the supporting suppliers and vendors. The APAC EMMAs results were announced in Hong Kong on 7 September, 2017 at the Harbour Grand Hotel.
View the list of winners here
Click here to find out more about the APAC Summit which also took place on 7 September at the Harbour Grand Hotel, Hong Kong.


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Author Keyword Title Type [ Year]
Filters: First Letter Of Keyword is B and Author is Vincent Purcuoco [Clear All Filters]
"Field and laboratory observations of bed stress and associated nutrient release in a tidal estuary", Estuarine, Coastal, and Shelf Science, vol. 161. Elsevier, pp. 11-24, 2015. 17_wengrove_etal_2015.pdf (2.37 MB),


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CIO… the West Coast ConferencePosted by CNguon on January 23rd, 2013
Michael Vernetti is the RTC correspondent for the West Coast Conference.
Looking Back
Buzzer Beaters – Last-second decisions stunned two WCC teams last week and left one elated.
- Wearing smiles as they departed Provo were the Saint Mary's Gaels, who saw their leader, Matthew Dellavedova, execute one of the most efficient take-downs in college hoops this season. Trailing BYU 69-67 on a typically brilliant Tyler Haws leaner in the paint, with 2.5 seconds on the clock and no timeouts left, Delly didn't hesitate. He sprinted down the right sideline, clapped his hands in case Beau Levesque might have thought about inbounding to someone else, took Levesque's pass around midcourt, made a neat crossover dribble to avoid a BYU defender and let loose a 35-footer with 0.6 seconds left. Nothing but net, as the announcers say, and the Gaels had a small rush-the-court moment of their own in the cavernous Marriott Center. It was a strange celebration, with the Gaels and their coaches jumping in excitement and the 15,000 BYU fans standing in dazed silence.
- Two nights later in the venerable Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler University, Gonzaga felt the sting of another incredible finish. The Zags were in even better shape against Butler than Saint Mary's was against BYU: They not only held a 63-62 lead, but also had possession of the ball at midcourt after a seemingly-devastating blunder by Butler's Alex Barlow. Barlow's travelling violation trying to make a move similar to Dellavedova's showed how delicate it is to position one's body for a shot with time running out. All the Zags had to do was inbound the ball, take the inevitable foul and make some free throws to ice a memorable win. But David Stockton made a lazy, looping pass towards Kelly Olynyk and Butler's Roosevelt Jones played it like an NFL cornerback. He swooped in front of Olynyk to snatch the pass and covered the rest of the court in time to launch a runner before 3.5 seconds ticked off. Jones' shot was good, but Gonzaga's night was ruined.
Reader's Take
Power Rankings
- Gonzaga (4-0, 17-2): As painful as it was to endure, Gonzaga' loss to Butler didn't affect its position atop the WCC. Coming after a routine dismantling of Portland by 71-49, the week's efforts left the Zags as the conference's only undefeated team.
- BYU (5-1, 15-5): Saint Mary's spoiled BYU's perfect conference record, but the Cougars bounced back against another undefeated team, San Diego, with an authoritative 74-57 win over the high-flying Toreros. It was Dave Rose's 200th career win at BYU, and featured a 25-point effort by the unstoppable Haws, following his 23 points against Saint Mary's. Read the rest of this entry »


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|This game is played in a swimming pool. A white ball made of rubber fabric is used. The ball must be between 7 and 8 inches in diameter. The goals are spaces 4 feet long and 12 inches wide at each end of the tank and placed 18 inches above t... Read more of WATER POLO at Games Kids Play.ca
| Informational


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Thank you for your interest in Legacy Title Services, LLC.
Please CLICK HERE to email our staff, or take a moment to fill out the information below and we will get back to you as soon as possible. If your matter requires more immediate attention, feel free to contact us at:
Phone: 518-631-6300
Fax: 518-631-6302
18 Division St Suite 204 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
1407 Route 9 Bldg 2 1st Floor Clifton Park, NY 12065
461 Clinton Street Ext. Schenectady, NY 12305
77 Troy Road Suite 4 East Greenbush, NY 12061
9 Mohawk Place Amsterdam, NY 12010


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Throughout your high school career, you will be aiming for college. And as one step toward that goal, we think you should consider scheduling your first college tour.
For some students, picking out a college to visit is as much work as actually visiting. For that reason, we suggest that for your first college visit, you tour a few diverse types of schools that can help you determine what's right for you.
So, what types of schools should you visit? Ones that are very different from each other! For instance, why not visit a big, urban research university AND a small, suburban liberal arts college during the same trip? Consider it your chance to experience firsthand schools that are different sizes (big versus small), have different academic programs (research versus liberal arts), and are located in different settings (urban versus suburban).
Whether you check out schools close to home or those located out of town (maybe over a long weekend!), make sure you visit schools that are distinct from each other, so that you can compare them and begin to identify the characteristics you like — and those you don't. (Do I want a big football school or one that's more focused on the arts? Do I want a college located in a city's downtown or one in the mountains or on the coast?)
Remember to keep an open mind, and you may surprise yourself!
Once you've narrowed down the type of school that fits you best, you can update your college list and think about getting ready to apply at MyCoalition!
Read more: Researching Colleges >
Additional Resources
Take advantage of all that we have to offer! With MyCoalition, you can store important high school documents and files in your digital Locker, ask for input from trusted family and friends, and even apply to schools with one easy-to-use application.
And be sure to check out these helpful articles over at BigFuture by The College Board:
- Compare big versus small colleges
- Learn about the types of colleges
- Compare campus settings
- Learn how to find a college that fits you


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Country: El Salvador
Region: Metapan
Varietal: Bourbon
Farm: Finca Calera
Process: Honey
Altitude: 1500-1700 Meters
Grade: SHB
Certification: Direct Trade
Recommended Roast: City+ to Full City
Cupping Notes: Green Apple, Caramel, Floral
Description: The first part of the farm was planted over 45 years ago, and the new part of the property within 4 years, which makes it a very promising farm. This farm was first planted by Juan Ramon Calderon. Since then, the Valiente Calderon family has constantly been keeping track of its development. The farm is located in the surroundings of El Trifiniou where Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador share borders. Cultural practices such as pruning, weed control, and fertilization based on soil analysis, give employment to some 200 workers during harvest and from 30 to 50 permanent jobs are demanded the rest of the year. They use their own nursery to replant old or damaged trees. The local school was built on a donated land by their family. They are very sensible to the need for rural education in their community. They also provide workers free land used to grow their food crops mainly corn, beans and vegetables. They keep part of the farm as pine and oak forest as part of a strategy to diversify income sources. Calera S.A. de C.V. owns part of San Miguel Ingenio mill where coffee is immediately sent after the harvest and cherries are sorted. The mill is located only 20 minutes away from the farm and before sending the sample to dry mills, cupping is performed to check the quality of the coffee.


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Travel agents are indispensable assets for planning sophisticated journeys, discovering out the ins and outs of a vacation spot, saving time, stopping travel complications and getting the very best worth. I have 27 years experience in the journey trade and started this company with the quaint concept that a handshake nonetheless matters and purchasers should at all times receive a warm welcome. For people who travel ceaselessly for business functions must go for travelling companies specializing in the business excursions. Many brokers change into accredited cruise counselors by way of CLIA's Cruise Academy or take programs through the completely different cruise strains to turn out to be more skilled at promoting their products.
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Piano Samples and Piano loops - free samples and free loops - Royalty free loops
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Students often receive insufficient advice from their school counselors who have too many students to manage. Additionally, they often have good familiarity with one system, but not so often two or more.
Choosing a university is so much more than rankings (which factor in school endowment, graduate programs, and other metrics which are not always relevant to prospective undergraduates). We find students who are the most satisfied with their university experience are ones who have done thorough examination of their preferred course of study and researched programs within different universities to understand the strengths and emphases of different programs. And to do this effectively, you must first do a thorough examination of YOURSELF.
ITS offers a 10-hour pre-university admissions course, with experts from coaching and both university systems, to help students better understand themselves and academic philosophies of different countries and the universities within. Our support is available to both our own full-time students and those taking their main schooling elsewhere. A standard package may look like this:
We appreciate that not everyone wants to look at only the UK and US and we can also help support thoughts about university in Hong Kong, China, Canada, Australia and others.
See what our students say
US Quick Links :
SAT/ACT Classes SAT/ACT Mocks US University Counselling Ivy Candidates Program
UK Quick Links :
UCAS Oxbridge interviews UK Entrance Test
Dr. Richards
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ex-Harvard Professor of English
ex-Harvard Admissions Committee member
Mr. Mike Li
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Some courses require entrance exams. We are an official test centre (HK109) for Cambridge Admissions Testing and provide teaching, exam prep, enrolment and invigilation of these tests (including BMAT, STEP, TSA Oxford and many more). More information about ITS UCAS support and UK university entrance exams.
We are also experts in applying to Oxbridge.
There are hundreds of universities that can provide students with a bachelor's degree to serve them for all future pathways: graduate school, professional schools, or entering the workforce. The variety of universities in the US means that students are not looking at aggregate Top University Lists, like those produced by USNews. Students need to consider all of the below as they decide where to apply and how to tailor applications:
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For more information please call +852 2116 3916 or drop us an email at [email protected].


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We are Plastic
We make remarkable digital products and services.
01.Who the--?!
Good people, big projects.
02.What the--?!
Best. User. Experience. Ever.
At least, that's what we aim for. We make digital products and services for companies from startups to global brands, but our goal for every client is the same: to elevate the digital experience for their target users.
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03.How the--?!
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- - Project strategy
- - UX research and conceptualization
- - Information architecture (IA)
- - User interface design (UI)
- - Interaction design (IxD)
- - Creative front end
- - Accurate coding (development)
- - Content strategy
04.Why the--?!
If you're gonna do it, do it right, right? *
Through our careers we've developed, shall we say, certain desires. Desires that weren't being fulfilled. Crazy stuff, like job security, working in a stable, happy environment. Being surrounded by people that impress and inspire us. Doing interesting projects for clients we care about. Putting user experience at the heart of what we do.
We figured the best way to satisfy our peculiar tastes was to start Plastic. That was in 2012. Luckily for us, there are others who share our weird tastes. Are you one of them?
* Yes. Some of us are from the 80s.
05.Where the--?!
Home is Barcelona but we choose to work with clients all over the world. We've delivered projects in Spain, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, the UK and the USA to name a few. Going global requires more than a good internet connection. A sense of curiosity, an open mind and an understanding of time zones all help. So does having lots of experience working on international accounts, which we do.


text:
Homeowners who have lost income because of the coronavirus pandemic can now seek assistance from the state for mortgage payments.
The Illinois Housing Development Authority is taking applications for grants of up to $15,000 to be made to eligible homeowners who need assistance keeping their mortgages up to date.
The General Assembly allocated $150 million to aid homeowners who have lost income because of the pandemic. The money came to the state from federal aid. The program is expected to provide assistance to 10,000 households.
"At a time when the connection between housing and health is clearer than ever, it is critically important that we keep families stably housed for individual well-being, public health and the recovery of our state's economy," said Gov. JB Pritzker. "The Emergency Mortgage Assistance program will provide critical support for our homeowners, giving them the time they need to regain their financial footing."
The administration said a recent survey revealed one in 10 Illinoisans have little to no confidence they'll be able to make their mortgage payment in September.
To qualify for assistance, a homeowner must not make more than 120 percent of the area median income where the home is located. IHDA said that in Springfield that amount is $98,880, in Peoria it is %95,520 and in Rockford it is $83,520.
Also, an adult member of the household must have had a loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic since March 1. The mortgage must have been current through February 29 and must now be past due or in forbearance.
People may apply for assistance at ema.ihda.org. Applications are only accepted until Sept. 4. The deadline may be moved up if a large number of applications are received.
If assistance is granted, up to $15,000 can be paid directly to a mortgage servicer to cover past due amounts and to cover future payments until Dec. 30 or when the money is exhausted.
Contact Doug Finke: firstname.lastname@example.com, twitter.com/dougfinkesjr


text:
About the CAF B-29, FIFI
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress, first flown in 1942, began active service in 1944. It was designed as a replacement for the older B-17s and B-24s, having the longer range and greater bomb loads necessary for operations in the World War II Pacific theater. The B-29 was also used in the Korean War in the early 1950s and was a staple of the U.S. Air Force until the late 1950s.
FIFI was acquired by the CAF in the early 1970s when a group of CAF members found her at the U.S. Navy Proving Ground at China Lake, California where she was being used as a missile target. The airplane was rescued and restored and flew for over thirty years until 2006 when the chief pilot made the decision to ground her pending a complete power plant re-fit. What followed was an extensive four year restoration that included replacing all four engines with new custom built hybrid engines. FIFI returned to the sky in 2010 and since that time has traveled coast to coast attracting large crowds at every tour stop. Learn more about FIFI at www.cafB29B24.org.


text:
In light of the late unpleasantness in South Dakota, President Cecelia Fire Thunder of the Oglala Sioux Tribe has announced her intention to open a Planned Parenthood clinic on the Pine Ridge reservation, where the state of South Dakota has no jurisdiction:
Bearing in mind that the Pine Ridge Reservation is not exactly dripping with disposable income, consider donating funds to the tribe. If you want your check used exclusively for the Planned Parenthood project, make it out to "OST Planned Parenthood Cecelia Fire Thunder." Mail it to:
Oglala Sioux Tribe
ATTN: President Fire Thunder
P. O. Box 2070
Pine Ridge, SD 57770
OR (and this may be preferred, due to mail volume):
ATTN: President Fire Thunder
Martin, SD 57751


text: World over sensitivity to food standards is gaining importance. Increasingly companies are finding it an opportunity to run organized contract farming programs to take control of the food right where it is grown. In many countries, with highly fragmented land ownerships, contract farming is the way to aggregate sizable farming capacities. Scattered and in-field nature... Read More


text: MISSION STATEMENT To enforce the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska's hunting and fishing code on the Winnebago Indian Reservation. HUNTING & FISHING REGULATIONS The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is proud of its outstanding Wildlife & Parks Program and invites you to enjoy and hunt our Reservation. Each year we issue a limited number of permits based upon the scientific findings of our biological staff. Although you may not be familiar with our Reservation, we believe that you will want to return, as many other hunters have in the past years to pursue our trophy white-tailed deer, turkey and pheasants. Good luck and have a safe, enjoyable hunt on our Reservation. GENERAL REGULATIONS The following general regulations merely summarize certain sections of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska's Fish & Wildlife Code, Sportsmen are legally bound by this code and must refer to it should any questions arise. IT IS UNLAWFUL TO: Hunt, fish or trap on any Tribal land within the exterior boundaries of the Winnebago Reservation without first obtaining a Tribal Hunting or Fishing permit. Chase, run, harass, shoot, shoot at, or attempt to take any deer/turkey with a motor vehicle of any kind while it is stopped or in motion. No firearm or bow shall be allowed to protrude from a vehicle Intentionally interfere with persons lawfully engaged in taking or attempting to take game or fish. No person shall scare or disturb game with specific intent to prevent lawful taking. Possess a firearm in the field while hunting with a bow and arrow during a season restricted to archery. Hunt, load or discharge a firearm or bow of any type from or across a roadway. Transport a firearm with a round in the chamber, or revolvers with rounds in the cylinder, or shotgun with shells in the magazine. Hunt big game by methods other than with a firearm or bow and arrow. Sell or barter big game, except for head, hide, feather or antlers. Sell or barter dried antlers that have been naturally shed by big game animals. These shall be considered property of the Fish & Wildlife Commission. Permits may be issued for the gathering of naturally shed antlers provided that the shed antlers found be reported to the Commission for census purposes. Want only waste or destroy any animal. If under age sixteen (16), carry a gun and hunt unless having successfully completed a hunters safety course or be accompanied by one 91) adult for each child carrying a gun. Be intoxicated while hunting, fishing or trapping. Hunt any game animals, except raccoon, during one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. Hunt any game or wildlife with the aid or use of artificial light except raccoon's which may be hunted with artificial light only when the hunter is not in or on a motorized vehicle. GUIDES PROHIBITED Section 8-166 Fish & Wildlife Code states that only members of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska shall be eligible and authorized to engage in or conduct, either directly or indirectly, hunting and fishing guides or guide related activity on the Winnebago Reservation. No person shall guide or provide fee guiding services for the purposes of harvesting or attempting to harvest any fish or wildlife on any lands within the exterior boundaries of the Winnebago Reservation without possessing a valid license or permit approved and issued by the Fish & Wildlife Commission. Report A Poacher The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska has implemented a program to help deter poachers from our reservation. The Fish & Wildlife Commission has agreed to give a reward of up to $300 to anyone who has information leading to the arrest and conviction of a poacher. If you have any information please contact the Wildlife & Parks Department. Please note that the use of any types of ATV while hunting is strictly prohibited. Please visit our Facebook Page to get updates Wildlife & Parks DepartmentWinnebago Tribe of NebraskaP.O. Box 687Winnebago, NE 68071Phone: (402) 878-2362 - Fax: (402) 878-2370 Business Hours: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm - Hours vary during hunting seasons. Hunting Applications 2018 Spring Turkey Application 2018 A2 A3 Archery Deer Season Application


text:
Protect Yourself From Tech Support Scams
Learn More
July 29, 2020
Tech support scams are an industry-wide issue where scammers trick you into paying for unnecessary
technical support services. You can help protect yourself from scammers by verifying that the contact is a
Microsoft Agent or
Microsoft Employee and that the phone number is an
Microsoft global customer service number.
Hi Dennis Gorringe,
Thank you for posting in Microsoft community!
I am sorry to hear that you cannot download windows 8 online. I will definitely help you with this.
Which Operating System do you have?
Which browser are you using?
Method 1: Perform a clean boot and check for the issue.
Refer the link for steps to clean boot
disclaimer: After you have finished troubleshooting, follow step 3 from the above article to boot to normal startup .
Method 2: 2Delete all the temp files.
a. Press Windows+R
b. Run window opens
c. Type %temp%
d. Press CTRL+A to select all
e. Press SHIFT+DELETE to delete the temporary files permanently
Method 3: Place the computer on hardware clean boot.
a: Unplug all the hardware connected to the computer except mouse and keyboard
and restart the computer.
Method 4: Uninstall any 3rd party security software.
Refer the link
disclaimer: : Antivirus software can help protect your computer against viruses and other security threats. In most cases, you shouldn't disable your antivirus software. If you have to temporarily disable it to install
other software, you should re-enable it as soon as you're done. If you're connected to the Internet or a network while your antivirus software is disabled, your computer is vulnerable to attacks.
Method 5:
Try to rename or delete the WebSetup folder and try again.
Also, you could try downloading on another computer and create a bootable DVD or USB thumb drive and attempt the install on the computer you are using:
Method 6:
When you purchase Windows 8 an email with the download link and purchase details will be sent to your email address that you use to purchase/register your product, you can just access that email and use the download link in it to re-download
it on your computer.
Method 7:
Below are the links that will help you download Windows 8.
Note: Please refer to option 4 in first link below and to download the correct version from second link and use the product key of windows 8.
41 people were helped by this reply
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text:
Seasons: Summer Heat Part 1
by Anne Azel
Disclaimer: The characters of Xena and Gabrielle are the property of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. The characters and events in the Seasons Series are the creation of the author.
Special thanks to Pat for her expert knowledge on rescue and firefighting methods. Thanks also to Sheri for providing the information on the beautiful island of Tobago.
My grateful thanks to the many readers who have traveled with me through the Seasons. You are the best! My deepest thanks to Lisa and Inga, my beta readers, who work very hard on my behalf and to Susan for her insightful critiques and for overseeing the character continuity. Lastly, to all those individuals who have written me about their own courageous stories, my respect and my best wishes.
Note: The Seasons stories interrelate and should be read in the order they are posted.
Robbie had been restless since they had returned to the cabin four days ago, Janet thought as she looked out the window to where her lover sat on the porch. Robbie had always been on the move, filled with a surplus of energy and ideas, but now it was different. Her actions were random and lacking purpose. They shared the same bed but they had not made love since Robbie's release from prison. On the surface, life went on but the happy teasing, joking and banter did not include the moody figure who paced from room to room.
Janet sighed and walked across the livingroom and up the hall to their daughters' bedroom. She paused at the door, Reb was making the soft baby noises of sleep but Ryan's figure was still and quiet in the darkness. "Ryan, love, are you still awake?"
Janet walked in and sat on the edge of Ryan's bed.
"Has she come back yet?" asked Ryan casually, although worry made her voice rough.
"About half an hour ago. She's sitting out on the porch," said Janet. She knew Ryan wouldn't sleep until she knew her mother had returned from the run Robbie had suddenly decided to take.
Ryan nodded and relaxed a bit. For a minute there was silence. "I didn't support her like you did," she confessed. "I was kind of mean to her."
"Yes, you were," agreed Janet honestly, then went on to lessen the sting, "But I think your mom understands. Your relationship with your mom is still pretty vulnerable."
"I shouldn't have stopped calling her Mom," sighed Ryan, the tears now evident in her voice.
"Well, that is easy to fix. Just start calling her Mom again," laughed Janet.
"She might get angry. Maybe she doesn't want me as her daughter anymore," came the anxious reply.
Janet took Ryan's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Maybe, and maybe pigs can fly! Come on, Ryan, if you know anything by now it is that your Mom worships the ground you walk on! Get out of bed!" commanded Janet, pulling on Ryan's hand as she stood. "That's right! Now march out there and tell your Mom that you'd like to build that boat she gave you for your birthday!"
"What if she says no!" demanded a panicky teen.
"Then I'll be running outside to see the flock of pigs fly over the lake," snorted Janet, giving Ryan a push in the right direction. "Go on Ryan, here is your chance to help your mother. She needs you, sweetheart."
Robbie looked moodily out across the lake. When she had first come here the horizon seemed endless. Now the trees seemed to have grown in close around. "Hi, Mom," said a voice from behind her. Robbie's heart skipped a beat as she leapt to her feet and spun around. Ryan was in her arms almost immediately.
Robbie held her close and rubbed her cheek against Ryan's soft hair. "Hi, Ryan," she managed to get out, although her voice was cracking with emotion. Robbie pulled back but kept her arm around her daughter's shoulder. "It's a nice night."
Ryan nodded. "You enjoy your run?"
Be open, be honest! Don't make the same mistakes a second time!Robbie warned herself. "It helps control my panic. I can't seem to get over the fear of being confined," she confessed.
Ryan turned and looked at her, searching for something in her mother's eyes. "If we built that boat you gave me for my birthday, we could take it out on the lake and then you could really feel free," suggested Ryan nervously.
Robbie's emotions almost crumbled under the surprise offer. She smiled through tears that rolled down her face. "You know, Ryan, that would be just about perfect!" She pulled her daughter close and thanked whatever powers there might be for giving her yet another chance to bridge the gap between herself and her daughter.
Ryan pulled back awkwardly. "Well, I'd better get back to bed, Aunt Janet is enrolling me again at Bartlett tomorrow."
"Sure," smiled Robbie, and she leaned forward to kiss her daughter on the cheek. Ryan gave her Mom one more hug and then hurried off to bed. Robbie sat down on the stoop again and watched the stars reflected in the still, deep waters of the lake, as she wiped the remaining tears away with a shaky hand.
"Hi, can I join you?" asked Janet, coming out with two cups of tea.
"Sure," said Robbie, feeling the tension returning to her frame.
"Nice night," remarked Janet, sitting down next to Robbie but leaving space between them. That's the way things were now, close but not quite one. They sat for a long time watching the changes in the early summer night.
Then Robbie put down her cup and, still looking out at the lake, she said, "I need to ask you something. I need to know."
"Okay," agreed Janet, mentally bracing herself for what might be coming. Don't leave me, Robbie!
"Would you have slept with Alberta if you hadn't had the surgery? Is that what stopped you?"
Janet absorbed the blow to her senses for a few seconds. "I think if it had gone that far it would have been a factor, Robbie. So much of what we are as women is tied to our concept of our bodies. But it didn't. That evening, I was very vulnerable and the moment was very sexually charged. I never planned to kiss her, and I never would have slept with her. When I did kiss her, I told her right away that I'd made a mistake. That you were my soulmate."
The figure beside Janet was stiff and quiet. "Ryan wants to build that boat."
"That's a good idea," replied Janet, fighting for emotional control. Oh God, Robbie, don't do this!
"Yeah... I'm having trouble with all this, Janet. I thought I'd found everything that I could possibly want in life and then suddenly it all just turned to sand and ran through my fingers. Hell! I don't even know who my father is! Who I am, anymore!"
Janet turned to kneel in front of Robbie. "Do you know that I love you? Can you believe that?" she asked.
Robbie looked down at her feet. "I know what you went through to get me out of there. I don't know if that was loyalty or love. Alberta and you..."
Janet leapt to her feet and jumped down the stairs to pace angrily back and forth. Then she stopped in front of Robbie. "There is no Alberta and I! There never was! Can't you get that through your thick head?" she stormed. "I kissed her. I shouldn't have. It wasn't fair to you or to her. I'm sorry but damn it all, Robbie, I'd had it! I don't often feel sorry for myself but I'd gone through cancer and struggled with the insecurity of losing a breast. Out of the blue, I find out my wife is being arrested for a murder that she didn't trust me enough to tell me about. Then I had to cope with the press and your refusal to talk! I was kicked out of my church and my job! I was beaten-up for loving you by a bunch of skinheads and had you yelling at me and accusing me of sleeping with another woman! I'm sorry I kissed Alberta, it was a lousy thing to do to her and you but damn it, I am NOT super woman and I've had enough, Robbie! Enough!"
Turning on her heel, she stormed up the stairs and into the cabin and left a stunned director sitting on the steps. For a long while nothing made sense. Then the list of things that Janet had given her registered one after the other. Christ! They fired her! Teaching was Janet's life; that must have been devastating for her. I never questioned why she had time off. I just presumed she'd taken a leave! God, I'm arrogant! Okay, Robbie, here it is, bottom line. You can either walk away because she kissed Alberta and told you, or put it behind you and try to make a life with Janet and the kids. What's it going to be?
As if there was any question!
Janet had a blistering headache. One of the worst she had ever had. Nice play, Janet! Oh all the times to feel sorry for yourself this had to be the worst! If Robbie wasn't planning on leaving you, she is sure to be now! She rooted around in the medicine chest but could not find any pain killers. Then she found a bottle the doctor had given Robbie after she hurt her knee last year. It was almost empty but there were a few pills left in the bottom. In relief, she swallowed two and got ready for bed.
Her head started to swim and she felt dizzy and disoriented. Oh no, she thought and went to get the bottle to read the label. Now you read the label! Sure enough, the pills had codeine in them! She knew from past experiences that codeine caused her to have a drug reaction and pass out. I'd better get to bed and sleep this stuff off! That was the last thought she had for a while.
Robbie got up and straightened her back that had stiffened in the damp, cool air. Okay, Robbie, it's time to stop wading knee deep in self pity and get on with life. She entered the cabin, locked the door and turned off the lights, using the brilliant moonlight to find her way to the bedroom. Laying on the floor was the ghostly figure of her wife. In her hand was an empty pill bottle with two white pills spilled out on the floor. Robbie's heart lunged and stopped.
"Damn it, woman, if you aren't the worst patient I've ever had to treat I don't know who was!" grumbled George Drouillard, as Robbie fought to get out from under the paper bag he was holding over her mouth and nose.
"W..What?" asked Robbie in confusion, becoming aware of a room full of people. George Droullard leaned over her with a paper bag on one side and Ryan with a bloody tissue held to her mouth stood on the other. "Ryan! What happened?!" exclaimed Robbie, sitting up and almost sending George on his back side.
"You happened. I was trying to help Mr. Droullard hold the bag on your face and you socked me!" complained Robbie's daughter good-naturedly. "You hyperventilated and passed out. Boy, did you lose it when you thought Aunt Janet had killed herself!"
"Janet!" screamed Robbie, as she bounded over the back of the couch and ran into the bedroom.
George Droullard looked at Ryan and shook his head. "Now that's where your artist's temperament comes in, Ryan," he observed, nodding his head wisely.
"Aunt Janet says the Williams are like olives; we're nice but we take a lot of getting used to," smiled Ryan.
George laughed in agreement. " You know, she was just as wild the night Jim Ableton put you into the boards at the skating rink. If Lou Enrico and Bill Perkins hadn't pulled her off, I was a thinkin' we'd have been taking Ableton out of the rink feet first!" Ryan smiled, pleased that her Mom had come to her defense with the same intensity that she had fought for Janet's life. By the time Ryan had leapt out of bed, her Mom had already called out Doctor Perkins and the Bartlett Volunteer Fire Department.
"Mary," George called over to his wife who had come along when she had heard that Janet had tried to commit suicide. "You'd better be making some sandwiches to go with that tea. I know the guys aren't going to want to leave Robbie in the state she's in, her bein' one of the boys and all."
Mary waved and laughed and happily took out a few loaves from the cupboard. She couldn't be happier than to find herself in a kitchen with an entire room of hungry people to feed. Several O.P.P. officers emerged from the bedroom with Doctor Perkins and through the window Mary could make out the arrival of several more cars by the glow of red and yellow emergency lights that flashed on several vehicles. That would be the Ladies' Auxilliary come to lend a hand with the emergency and find out what was happening.
"Janet!" cried Robbie, bounding into the bedroom and almost knocking down the two police officers who were trying to find out what happened.
"Easy, Robbie, or you'll be hyperventilating again!" warned the local doctor, Bill Perkins. "She's fine."
Robbie sank to her knees by the bed and took Janet's limp, cold hand in her own. "Janet, sweetheart..."
Green eyes opened a crack with effort. "What has my favourite olive done now?" she asked sleepily.
Robbie looked up at the doctor. "It took me awhile to wake her up enough get some sense out of her but it seems she had a headache and was out of pain killers so she took two of some I had prescribed for you. They had codeine in them and Janet is allergic to codeine. It knocks her for a loop. Give her twelve hours for the stuff to work through her system and she'll be fine," explained Perkins with a grin.
Robbie visibly slumped with relief and placed her head on the bed. "Oh God! I thought she'd done something drastic because we'd had a fight," Robbie admitted.
Perkins patted Robbie on the shoulder. "She'll be fine, Robbie. It was just an accident." He signaled to the police officers and the three of them left the room, Perkins closing the door to give the women some privacy.
"I didn't mean to scare you," Janet said, her voice slurred with sleep.
"I've never been so afraid. I think I panicked," admitted Robbie, kissing the small hand that her own was intertwined with.
Janet laughed softly. "So I hear! I love you, Robbie Williams!"
Robbie looked up so their eyes met. "I love you too, Janet Williams," she smiled and leaned in for a kiss. Janet was asleep again before the kiss had ended. The Bartlett Fire department, two O.P.P. officers, one doctor, and two children, one with a fat lip, were served tea and sandwiches in the living room while Doctor Perkins explained to everyone's relief that it had just been a misunderstanding.
Some time later, Mary stuck her head into the bedroom to find Robbie lying curled up beside Janet, both women fast asleep. She saw to Reb and Ryan getting back to bed and then shooed the men home again in the pre-dawn sky.
The women did the washing up and left a plate of sandwiches and squares for the family before they left for home too. "You know, Mary," observed George as he drove, "Them two are very much in love."
"Really, George," Mary commented.
The sarcasm was lost on George. "Yup, almost as much as I love you, pretty-thing," he chuckled, taking Mary's hand in his own. Mary leaned her head on her husband's shoulder. She was a very lucky woman.
Janet woke to the happy sounds of her family.
"Up, Obbie! I want up, peas!"
"Up it is, Reb, voom, voom Rebair coming in for a landing in Highchair Airport!" came Robbie's voice over Reb's giggles.
"Hey, Mom, should I wake Aunt Janet? She's supposed to take me into Bartlett and enrol me again."
"No, let her sleep, Ryan, I'll take you and Reb in. Do you want cereal or toast for breakfast, because that's all I can cook?" came Robbie's voice, and Janet smiled sleepily, feeling a hummy sort of warmth spread through her being. She had her Robbie back. Her eyes closed and she slept peacefully for the first time in a very long while.
Robbie and Ryan dropped Reb off at the Bartlett Day Care and reassured Lily Chen that Janet was fine. All of Bartlett knew, of course, about the incident the night before. Some had heard it on their police scanners, some from husbands in the Bartlett Volunteer Fire Brigade, and others at the donut shop that morning.
Now daughter and mother walked side by side down the still empty halls of the school. "Ahhh, Mom, you're not going to make a scene are you?" asked Ryan nervously.
"Scene? What do you mean?" asked Robbie tightly.
"About Aunt Janet getting fired. I can tell you're mad cause your clamping your jaw."
"Stupid, damn Bored Trusses! I ought to ..."
Robbie stopped and glared down at her daughter who glared right back at her. "My other Mom is pretty cool and she can fight her own battles," Ryan said quietly.
Anger flashed across Robbie's face to be replaced almost immediately by a slow smile. "Okay, kid, I'll be good," she promised. Ryan looked relieved and they continued up the hall to the school office.
As they entered, Carolyn Carr came out from behind her desk and hugged Ryan and then Robbie. "Oh, it's wonderful to see you two back! Welcome home! How's Janet?"
"She's fine. We left her to sleep in. Things got a little hectic last night," admitted Robbie, as a blush crept up her neck.
"Mom went postal," Ryan giggled.
"So Burt told me," laughed Carolyn. "That is so sweet, Robbie," she said, giving the embarrassed actor a poke.
"Robbie, Ryan! Hey, how's Janet?" called Milka, as she came out of the principal's office and hugged each Williams in turn.
"She's fine," offered Ryan. "She always was. It was Mom here who had the problem," snorted Ryan.
Robbie gave her daughter a dirty look as the three laughed at her expense. There was a time when that would have set her temper off but now, well, it just made her feel like she belonged.
"I'm here to enrol Ryan. We can't stand having her around the house all day," Robbie growled playfully. "We're willing to pay for you to take her off our hands."
"Nice, Mom!" exclaimed Ryan, snuggling into Robbie's side as her mother wrapped a protective arm around her daughter to reassure her that her words were just in fun.
"Well, come on in then and we'll see to the paper work. Looks like we might get some rain today. We sure need it! It was a really dry spring."
Robbie let Rufus outside to run when she got back to the cabin. Then quietly, she stole into the bedroom to check on Janet. "Hi," came a sleepy voice from the tangle of sheets.
Robbie dropped to her knees by the bed and leaned over to place a soft kiss on Janet's cheek. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly.
"Take your clothes off and get in here and I'll show you," whispered Janet, reaching up to draw Robbie down into long, sensual kiss.
They spent the morning in bed, talking out their feelings and reclaiming each other's bodies with slow, burning passion. Eventually, hunger drove them out for a leisurely lunch by the fire. Now they lay on the couch, Janet tucked between Robbie's long powerful legs, her head resting on the actor's chest.
"Looks like there could be a storm brewing," observed Janet. "I'd better fill the oil lamps in case we lose power tonight."
"Hmmm, I'll bring some extra wood in for the fire before I leave to pick up Ryan and Reb...Janet, about your job, I don't think they had a legal right to..."
Fingers came up to caress Robbie's lips. "I know. I did think about taking them to court, Robbie. But I just don't want to bother with anymore lawyers and reporters. It would be such a hassle and I'm not sure I would want the job back under those sort of conditions. It's hard, but I've got a little saved and I can get on the supply pool at the local public highschool. It might give me some time to finish writing that novel!" she laughed.
Robbie wrapped her close, knowing that the loss of her career must have hurt Janet very deeply. "You don't have to worry about money, damn it! What is mine is yours, you know that! You are far too qualified to be supply teaching at the local highschool!" she grumbled.
"I know you're rich, Robbie, but I don't want to be kept. I want to have an independent income. It is a matter of pride. Nor am I so arrogant that I think I'm too good to work in the classroom. That is after all where the real job is done!" protested Janet, giving Robbie a kiss for being so protective and loyal.
"Hmmmm, that tasted nice," purred Robbie, stretching her frame like a cat. "Come here."
"Janet, do you know how to teach the talented as well as the gifted?" Robbie asked, her voice husky with love making. They were now on the rug by the fire, having found the couch way to restrictive for their needs.
"Well, my degree is gifted education and that includes both the academically gifted and the creatively gifted. It really shouldn't because talent is a totally different process of thinking than gifted. The academically gifted are very logical and methodical in the thought processes that lead them eventually to understanding. The talented, however, tend to work backwards. They start with this spark of an idea and then make it happen. We really need to do a lot more research into what makes people talented."
There was silence for a minute, then Robbie slid over Janet and scooped a handful of ash from the fireplace, spreading it evenly over an area of the hearth. Janet smiled; if ever there was a definition of a truly creative thinker it was her Robbie. She got that intense look and then just did whatever she needed to achieve the concept which had materialized in her imagination. Janet realized that genius made Robbie a tyrant to work for, but it also had made her and her companies the amazing successes that they were.
Robbie, totally absorbed in her ideas, was unaware of the mess she was creating. With a dirty finger she put a dot on her ash canvas. "Okay, here we are and here is Long Lake," explained the director, adding a line with her finger. "Down here is Saw Mill Road. My plan, as you know, is to tear down the mill and build a state of the art studio complex there. Real high tech stuff. Down here, east of Saw Mill Road, is Kettle Lake. I'm going to run a road around it and subdivide it. A lot of people will be moving into town and Williams Construction is going to put in a pretty nice subdivision here. There will be park land around the lake to protect it from overuse, and a public dock. We'll have a rule that people can't use motor boats on the lake too. Gwen is going to love it! She's from the north you know."
Janet leaned over and kissed her ash covered lover. She did love this woman so very, very much! Robbie took a break from her ideas to return the kiss. Then went on. "I shared this cell with a woman who had killed her boyfriend cause he had been cheating on her. We got talking about comic books and Greek art and things and I got this idea...don't laugh now...what if we built a school for the talented that would be affiliated with my studio?"
Janet blinked, then blinked again. Robbie waited. "Are you serious?"
"Well, yeah. Would it be really hard to do? I figure you ought to be able to handle it," stated Robbie cavalierly.
"Me!?" exclaimed Janet.
"Who else. It will be a lot easier for you now that it will be your only job," Robbie pointed out.
Janet lay back and laughed. Robbie smiled, liking the feel of the warm body vibrating with mirth beside her. "You are such an olive!"
"Well, will you help me start The Kettle Lake School for the Talented?" asked Robbie, leaning absently on an ashy hand.
Janet looked up with sparkling eyes. "Only if you have a bath before you make love to me again, Robbie Williams! You are an absolute sight!" Janet laughed.
"Hmmm, so does my new principal give back rubs?" purred Robbie, leaning in to kiss Janet and unintentionally spreading the ash to her partner.
"Hmmm, sounds good," whispered Janet.
Robbie was a little late arriving at the school to pick up Ryan and Reb. She blamed it on the thunderstorm that was now under way. Picking up Reb, she ran with Ryan to the car where a very worried Rufus sat with his large orange muzzle pushed through the window that Robbie had left down a bit for him. A soggy pile of Williams piled into the car and Rufus licked each of his humans in greeting.
"No, Rufus! No, lick," ordered Reb sternly. Rufus' ears dropped. He looked so pathetic that Ryan reached back and petted his massive, shaggy chest.
"It's okay, Rufus. You're a good dog," she said.
Reb smiled up at her massive canine buddy. "Ryan said you are a good dog, Rufus!" she bragged. At the sound of "good dog" Rufus barked happily into Robbie's ear. The director's startled reaction almost put their truck in the ditch.
"So when does the good part come in?" grumbled Robbie. "I should have left him in a snowbank!"
"No, Obbie. Rufus is a good dog!" Reb declared, defending her pal from the criticism.
Robbie and Ryan laughed. "You're right, Reb. Rufus is a perfect dog," agreed Robbie, as she pulled out of the long school driveway and put them on the road for home.
A pair of pale male eyes watched from an old pick-up truck hidden in the bush. On a scrap of paper, a strong hand wrote the time of the Williams' departure in big, clumsy numbers. On the sagging seat beside him, was a messy pile of pictures torn from various newspapers of the Williams. The hand reached up and put the vehicle in gear. It bumped out on the road and followed at a safe distance. When the Williams tuned off down their lane, the rusted, grey truck kept on going.
The storm produced sudden downpours of rain that lasted only a few minutes and were absorbed into the dry soil instantly. But the sky lit up with lightening. Neon forks crackled across the sky or arced to the ground and sheet lightening lit up the heavens, silhouetting the black rolling clouds.
Of course, the power went off. Robbie lit a fire while Janet got a few oil lamps going. The kids were teasing Rufus in boredom. "Eh! Leave poor Rufus alone," warned Robbie, as she poked at the logs irritably, feeling trapped by the storm. Janet came to the rescue. She had a plate of hotdogs, several long handled forks, a basket of buns and a bag of marshmallows. The mood of the Williams immediately improved as they settled to their cook out on the livingroom floor.
When they had all eaten, Janet began to tell them a story. "The False Faces are spirits of the woods. There are many of them but the most powerful are Broken Nose, Spoonmouth, and Blower. When you walk in the forest, they will often play tricks on you, tripping you up with a fallen branch hidden under the leaves, placing a muddy puddle under your mocassin or warning the animals that you have come to hunt.
"Once Manitou and Broken Nose argued about who was the greatest god of the First Nations. Broken Nose took a stick and carved his image into the land. Then he bounced about bragging about how powerful he was and the greatest of all the False Face spirits. Manitou smiled quietly and raised his hand. Slowly, the earth responded to his command and lifted up high into the sky forming the great Rocky Mountains.
"Broken Nose was so full of himself that he didn't notice until he turned around and slammed face first into the mountains. That is how he got his broken nose and that is why our masks of him always have a crooked nose! Broken Nose cried a river of tears filling up the holes he had dug and forming the Great Lakes in the process."
"Is that a true story, Mom?" asked Reb, her eyes big with wonder.
"It is one variation of an ancient myth," responded Janet, letting her daughter crawl into her arms sleepily.
"I like Miffs," concluded Reb.
When Janet came out from tucking Reb in her bed, she found Robbie and Ryan playing poker for pennies by the fire. "Aunt Janet, come and play with us!" Ryan called.
Janet smiled. "No thanks, Ryan, I never play cards."
"Ahhh, come on schoolteacher, live a little," Robbie teased.
"Afraid of being beaten?" grinned Robbie, poking Ryan, who giggled. "We'll, go easy on you, won't we, Ryan!"
Janet stood arms folded tapping her foot. A lesson was going to have to be taught here. "Okay," she said, walking over and sitting on the floor with the others around the sled coffee table. She took the cards from Ryan's hands and shuffled them as quick as the flash of lightening outside. She spread the cards out in an even row on the table with a sweep of her hand and pulled out the Ace of Hearts. With a flip of the last card, the row turned over and Janet swept them up again.
While Robbie and Ryan watched in open mouthed fascination. Janet added the ace, shuffled and dropped the deck to the table. The top card flipped up; it was the Ace of Hearts. She shuffled again and dropped the cards to the table. Remaining in her hand was the Ace of Spades. Then she reached over and removed the Ace of Clubs from Ryan's hair.
Lastly, she laid nine cards down in three rows of three cards. Janet turned over the centre card; it was the Ace of Diamonds. Picking up the cards to shuffle again, she noted with an evil smile, "You might recall that my grandfather was a professional gambler. Shall we play for who does the chores next month, ladies?"
Robbie looked at her daughter across the table. "Ryan, I think we just got ourselves into a whole lot of trouble!"
The game went on for a few hours. Janet would let them win for a while and then quickly win everything back again. During it all, she would perform different card tricks to Robbie and Ryan's delight. By the time Ryan said good night, she owed her Aunt and second Mom a life of servitude! Janet picked up the cards once again and shuffled them professionally. "Okay, Robbie Williams," she grinned cruelly, looking across at her mate, "now we play strip poker."
Janet played to win. The room, warmed by the fire and bathed in soft light, was charged with sexual tension as her lover, with each loss, slowly stripped off each article as Janet watched with hungry eyes. When she had her lover naked before her, Janet placed the deck on the table and cocked a finger. "Come here NOW," she ordered, in a husky whisper. Robbie, her lean muscular body highlighted in red firelight, slipped across the table and into Janet's arms.
They made love well into the night, finally falling into a deep, relaxed sleep in the early hours. At five thirty, Robbie's bleeper went off.
Janet sighed as she felt her lover slip from the bed and fumble in the darkness getting into her fire-fighting gear. "Well, at least their timing is getting better. You be careful!"
Robbie leaned over to place a kiss on Janet's forehead. "No fire could be as hot as you, my love!" she teased and was gone.
Robbie drank deeply from the water bottle. She was on her second, trying to replenish the water that the work and heat of the fire had sucked out of her. She stood leaning on Larry Butler's bulldozer, on the edge of a tired group of Bartlett Volunteer Fire Fighters.
Bush fires were a bitch, she allowed, wiping at the sweat that had etched black trails of soot down her face. Her skin felt scorched and tight. She must look like hell. She'd better clean up a bit before heading back to Janet and the kids.
Blue eyes scanned the fire break that she and the others had created over the last ninety six hours.
With Pulaski shovels, Council rakes, chainsaws and the bulldozer, they had cleared a strip of land through which the fire could not burn. Then they had used Drip Torches. They were canasters with goose necks containing wicks that drew up a gasoline/kerosene mixture. These were used to set back burns to consume the material that the approaching fire would need to feed on. The fire break had done its job. The fire had been stopped on this front and that meant that Bartlett was now relatively safe. Beyond the brown strip of barren earth, charred trees still smoked and cracked with heat. The ground was blanketed with ash like new fallen snow.
Robbie thought most people would find a burnt out area like this an eyesore. She didn't. She liked the stark landscape, the soft ash and warm land. She liked the charred patterns in the wood and the red of glowing embers. She watched with an artist's eye as the surreal world faded in and out in swirls of blue smoke.
It made her feel good, having done her part to protect lives and property while the fire burnt its course. Robbie finished the second bottle of water and pitched the empty plastic container into the garbage bag tied to the back of the bulldozer. Her stiff, sooty Bunker fire jacket and pants squeaked as she settled into a more comfortable position against the side of the bulldozer. She smiled at the others. The Bartlett crew had become family. Hell, they'd lived in each other's space for the last two weeks as they rotated through shifts with other crews. They had practised as a team together and had now proven themselves out in the field, trusting each other with their lives.
Did she trust Janet that deeply? Once she had. Now she wasn't sure. That bothered her. She know she should trust Janet. Janet had risked everything to get her out of jail. Janet loved her and she knew that she loved that little blond nearly to distraction. She'd made the decision to move on, to leave all the crap of those days behind. Yet she knew there was a little worm of doubt that still burrowed through her subconscious.
The rumble of a truck engine brought Robbie back to reality. Like the other tired fire-fighters around her, she straightened. Fire-tanned and dirty, they reflected the tired pride of all heroic fighters. Ryan swung out of the truck and looked around at the sooty faces. It was her Mom's flash of white smile that identified her from the rest. Ryan trotted over. "Hi! Did you have fun?" she asked. "I sure wish I could have fought the fire."
"I don't think fun is quite the word but I feel pretty smug about being able to help out. That is when I can summon enough energy to think at all," confessed Robbie.
"I got to help co-ordinated all the crews. The District Chief would give me the work sheets and I'd get on the radio and dispatch crews to different areas," bragged Ryan excitedly.
Robbie squeezed her daughter's shoulder with pride. "Yeah, I know. I recognized your voice," she acknowledged, as they waited their turn to swing up into the back of the truck. "You did a great job!" Ryan blushed with pride. Pleasing her famous mother meant a lot to her.
"Aunt Janet is working at the field centre in the Lion's Hall. They've set up a hospital and field kitchen. The food that is shipped out to the crews was prepared there," explained Ryan.
"Hospital! Were there that many hurt?!" asked Robbie in concern.
Ryan nodded. Aunt Janet told me yesterday that they had already treated over fifty," bragged Ryan.
"Well, only nine were humans," Ryan admitted, " The rest are animals that Greta Corry and the girl guides keep rescuing. That's their job. We have a deer in a pen in the baseball diamond! Can we keep her, Mom!? She's got smoke inhalation."
"Sure! We can have smoked venison next Christmas," Robbie joked.
"Mom!" Ryan laughed.
Janet looked up as the tired parade of fire-fighters entered the hall like she always did, searching for Robbie. She knew her lover had been working the other side of Indian Gorge and would take her breaks at the Town Hall in Harriston. But she always looked anyway. She missed her partner and worried about her. A major forest fire was a dangerous situation even for well-trained experienced fire-fighters, never mind amateurs like Robbie. Ryan came back each afternoon and told her where Robbie was and what she was doing but still she worried.
Then, there she was, tall and quiet behind Ryan. Wearing her fire gear and covered in dirt and sweat, Janet thought she had never seen anyone look so damn sexy! The other members of the Bartlett crew hugged wives and greeted friends. Ryan had gone off in search of food and Robbie stood looking uncertain and perplexed.
Janet smiled. They'd been "Outed" by Lucier and the media, so what had she to lose. Putting down the tray she was carrying, she walked over to Robbie and gave her a big hug and a kiss. The well of silence around them was almost deafening as everyone froze in surprise and stared.
"Hi, love," Janet laughed, her voice echoing in the big, quiet room. "I'm so happy to have you back!"
Robbie's face lit up with a big goofy grin and the worm that had been digging tunnels of doubt in Robbie's mind keeled over and died.
The four of them sat at a wooden table in the hall eating Sloppy Joes and drinking chocolate milk while they each told their stories. "I got to feed the deer and the cats and Miss Corry got needles in her hand from the pork-pine and she called it a..."
"Rebecca!" warned Janet, with a warning look. Reb gave her mom a broad grin, then stood on her chair and whispered in Robbie's ear.
Janet frowned. "Oh a no good porcupine! Eh? Well, that is bad!" laughed Robbie, hugging her little daughter. The other Williams laughed too.
"Hi, ladies!" smirked a voice from behind them and a flash went off in their faces as they turned. "Guess who the city papers sent up here to cover the fire? This will make a nice little follow-up to your release, Robbie," smiled Lucier. Janet grabbed Robbie but would not have been able to hold her back if it hadn't been for a big meaty hand suddenly wrapping around Lucier's camera and yanking it from his hands.
"Hey!" protested Lucier, as his film was ripped out. This protest was cut short, however, when he was picked up by his collar and the seat of his pants and carried out the back door to a round of applause from everyone in the room.
There were several decisive thumps and a wail of pain, and then the wall of a man sauntered back in again. Jim Ableton walked over to the Williams' table. "Don't for the life of me know what this town sees in a queer like you, Williams, but I owed you one for bouncing that kid of yours off the boards at the rink," he growled. "No hard feelings," he said, offering his hand.
Robbie took it, surprised to find her own large hand buried inside Ableton's. "No hard feelings," she agreed, then amended, "until I kick the shit out of your boat in the Bartlett Regatta this September!"
"Ain't gonna happen," laughed Ableton, pounding Robbie on the back and walking away.
Janet gave Robbie a look. "What?!" the director asked innocently.
"You just couldn't let it lie could you?"
"No!" the Williams all answered together and the table of four broke into gales of laughter.
From across the room, pale eyes looked up, watched for a few seconds and then dropped once more to an empty plate. Soon now. This damn fire had delayed his plans but soon now all would be back to normal. Then he could put his plan into action. The man smiled.
The Williams went home and Ryan amused Reb while Janet took Robbie for a shower and then tucked her into bed. Robbie, warmed by the water and relaxed by Janet's touch, was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow. Janet watched t.v. with the kids, sending each off to bed at their respective bedtimes. Then she gladly locked the door, turned off the lights, and crawled into the bed that she planned on sharing with Robbie for the rest of her life.
The next day, Robbie slept in and Janet took the kids to school. "I should be working!"sulked Ryan. "They need me on the radios!"
"You need to be in class," Janet answered firmly. "We only just got you enrolled again and then you were away for another two weeks! Honestly, what sort of mother are they going to think I am?!" grumbled Janet.
"I had to fight the fire!" protested Ryan. "I'm part of the crew!"
Janet smiled and patted the knee beside hers. "I know, love. But the fire is almost out and most of the crews have been sent home. It's only burning along the shoreline near the gorge now. I think they can manage without you."
Janet dropped them off outside the school, courage failing her when it came to walking into the building that she had once thought of as her own domain. Ryan seemed to understand and made no comment as she took her little sister's hand and, waving good bye, disappeared into the building. Janet watched them go, then slipped the truck into gear and headed back to the house. Another lazy day with Robbie sounded just about perfect! Maybe this being unemployed wasn't so bad after all!
Hey, about time you got back!" called Robbie from the kitchen as she chewed on a piece of burnt toast.
Janet waved her hand in front of her face and squinted her eyes as she looked through the smoke. "Did you bring some of the brush fire home with you or have you been cooking again?" she asked dryly.
"I burnt the toast," Robbie smiled, happily crunching on a burnt offering.
"Well, don't eat it!" scolded Janet, as she opened a window to air the place out. "There must be enough smoke in your lungs already! Here sit down and I'll make a proper breakfast for the two of us!"
"I love you," Robbie smiled, kissing Janet on the forehead as she changed places with her in the kitchen. Robbie sat on the bar stool and watched while Janet efficiently made scrambled eggs and toast.
"You know what?"
"What?" asked Janet, as she dished the eggs over the golden toast she had just made.
"The lodge is ready! You want to go over and have a look?!"
Janet looked up into eyes glistening with excitement and smiled. Robbie was just a big kid at heart. "I'd like that," she responded, kissing the end of her lover's nose.
They ate and talked and then left the dishes in the sink while they went to get the canoe out of the shed where it had been stored for the winter. They lowered it into the lake and clambered in. "You remember the first time we did this?" Robbie asked.
"Ah ha, You'd twisted your knee slipping on Reb's rubber ducky and I was stuck with you. As I recall, oh wanton woman, you made a shameless play for my ex-boyfriend!"
"Did you a favour," grinned Robbie, without remorse. "You'd have ditched him anyway."
They canoed on in silence, listening to the steady swish of the paddle through the water and the cry of a raven in the trees. "I think I loved you from the moment I saw you," Robbie confessed suddenly.
"You had a funny way of showing it!" laughed Janet. "I know I was very attracted to you!"
Robbie suddenly stood up in the bow, turned around and walked back in the canoe. "Robbie! What are you doing!?" asked Janet, using the flat of her paddle to balance the canoe that rocked wildly in the water.
Robbie knelt down and leaned across the spreader to take Janet's hands in her own. "You are the single most important thing in my life. When you came into my world my black and white existence exploded into technicolour! I love you, Janet Williams, with every ounce of my being!"
Janet settled her paddle into the canoe. Then, carefully, she slid over on top of Robbie as the actress dropped back into the bottom of the canoe. They lay there together, drifting slowly in the wind as the blue sky and warm sun blanketed them in peace.
"Oh Robbie! It's...It's beautiful!" exclaimed Janet, a later, as she turned around and around in the living room. The massive room was dominated by a fieldstone fireplace that now reflected the multiple colours of the earth after its sand blasting. The huge log beams that stretched across the room shone honey with layers of fresh vanish. The log walls were a soft cream of natural wood and the floor reflected their images, it was so highly polished.
"Probably could do with some furniture," observed Robbie philosophically.
Janet reached up to capture yet another kiss. "You are wonderful. Show me our bedroom," she whispered.
Their room was at the corner of the house. One large window looked through the tall pines to the lake and the other through the trees to where a small stream tumbled down the hillside over mossy rocks to feed the lake. Janet peaked into the walk in closet and the master bathroom that had a sauna, and a sunken tub built for two beside a window of one way glass that looked over a shaded hillside of white and purple trilliums. Tears overflowed and ribboned slowly down her face. Robbie wrapped her close.
"It's like a dream. It is all true, isn't it, Robbie?" Janet sniffed into her favourite shoulder.
"You bet it is, lover. I'm going to move my family here and live the picture perfect life with you at my side."
Janet looked up. "What about my house? I don't want to sell it to strangers and I don't want it to stand empty either."
"I was thinking about that. You know it would make a good summer place for Elizabeth. She likes how clearly she can see the stars up here and...."
"Robbie! You are a genius! It would make a perfect wedding present for David and Elizabeth!"
The body Janet was holding went cold and still. "What wedding?" said a deep, deadly quiet voice.
Janet looked up into storm-dark eyes and reached up on her tiptoes to kiss stiff lips. "I think that David and Elizabeth's friendship, if left alone, will blossom into a very special kind of love and you know that David would want to do the honourable thing!"
"You are just saying this to scare the shit out of me!" rumbled Robbie.
"No, I'm saying this so you have lots of time to get used to the idea," countered Janet.
"I won't," sulked Robbie.
Janet gave her over-protective wife a hug. "Yes, you will once you realize that David makes Elizabeth happy. Come on, worry wart! We need to get back and clean up that kitchen!"
"Ryan, over here!" called Debbie, as Ryan moved the soccer ball down field. With a swift side kick, Ryan shot the ball across to her friend, who drilled it into the net.
"Way to go, Deb!" Ryan said, running up to pat her school chum on the back.
"Okay, girls, time to head for the locker room," called Jean Bissell, who had been hired to fill Milka Gorski's teaching job.
The two teams walked off the field, replaying the game and teasing each other. Ryan waved over to Reb who, with the other children, were going for their morning walk down the driveway with Mrs. Chen. An old grey truck pulled out from the school parking lot and slowly came down the lane. The truck went past the children and then stopped.
Ryan watched curiously as the man got out and walked over to talk to Mrs. Chen The next instant, he had hit her, knocking her to the ground, and had grabbed Reb into his arms and was running for the open truck door.
Ryan started to run. She cut across the field at an angle at top speed. As the truck slowed to make the turn out onto the main road, she came alongside, grabbed hold of the truck's side and did a pony-express mount into the flatbed.
Lily Chen sat up dazed and watched the grey truck disappear down the road as the other students and Jean Bissell ran over to help her and to gathered up the remaining children.
The police and a very upset Milka Gorski were waiting on the beach as Janet and Robbie paddled across the lake. Janet could feel the panic and anger rolling off her mate when she saw the police.
"It's okay, Robbie, don't be upset. You are innocent and they are not here to arrest you," she reassured her partner. Robbie, paddling in the bow, nodded stiffly but did not answer.
Despite the reassurance she had given Robbie, she could feel her own insides turning over with worry. For Milka to be here, something serious must have happened at school and that meant that one of their daughters was in trouble.
Robbie leapt out of the canoe and pulled the craft high up on the beach before helping Janet out. "What's going on?" she demanded, holding Janet's hand as she faced the police.
It was Milka who answered. "Janet, Robbie I'm so sorry. Reb's been kidnapped! It happened when Lily was walking the children down the lane. A truck pulled up and the driver got out and hit Lily, grabbed Rebecca and drove off."
"Is Lily alright?" Janet asked, her voice shaky with the strain of dealing with the gut wrenching blow to her emotions that Milka's news had brought.
"Yes, but..."
"Where's Ryan?" Robbie demanded.
Milka looked absolutely sick. "She was out in the field playing soccer and witnessed the kidnapping. She ran after the truck and swung into the flatbed as the truck slowed to turn out on the road. He's got both of them."
"Shit!" groaned Robbie, pulling the shocked body of her wife close to her. "Don't worry, Janet, we'll get them back. He'll demand money and we'll give it to him. Whatever he wants."
The adults walked up to the cabin and Robbie let them in. Rufus greeted them with an uncertain wag of his crocked tail and a low growl as the faithful animal sensed their stress. "Shhh, Rufus, whispered Janet, reaching out a shaky hand to reassure the huge animal.
"I'll use the cell phone to contact our lawyers. We'll want to leave the cabin phone free in case he phones."
Janet sat on the edge of the couch and looked up at her partner. "W..What if his motivation was not kidnapping. W..What if he's..."
"Don't even think it! L..Let's plan for what we can deal with and pray that it's nothing worse," suggested Robbie, rubbing her lover's back. "It's going to be okay, Janet," she reassured. "It's got to be!" But inside she felt like a bomb had gone off.
Continued - Part 2
Return to The Bard's Corner


text:
Moving is a task and ask that to someone who has moved 3 times in the last year and a half. We are finally done and moved into a house of our dreams. Now comes the hard job of settling down which is taking much longer than anticipated. I would blame that on kid's vacation and heat. Last week (it has to be the week we moved), the heat index here was about 110 F and it was impossible to do any work outside the house.
We had to take several breaks to come inside to cool off and needed something to drink constantly. Water was our best friend and we consumed loads of it. At times we needed something a little different (and my blog needed it too) and so I tried one of my favorite combination, the creamsicle float.
After moving down south, I have tasted many different floats in several occasions. My boy's piano teacher makes a different float during her bi-yearly recitals and she is really famous for that. This particular Orange Soda Float is inspired from my own orange creamsicle that I have made in the past.
I just love the flavor of orange and vanilla together, but for this particular Orange Soda Float, use any ice cream that you have left over. When moving, I saw that we had several ice cream containers with just a bit of ice cream left. We end up buying a new container as the old one is getting close to empty, but not quite empty. No one wants to now eat the old ice cream and we just dig into the new box. I had 3 such almost empty container that I used in the float. The base was vanilla in all the three ice cream, but had some additions like white chocolate and berry.
We are no regular soda drinkers, but we stocked up a bit when moving for the movers and cleaners. Soda as such has no takers in the house and this recipe worked great to use up the remaining soda as well.
Preparation time – 5 minutes
Cooking time – none
Difficulty level – easy
Ingredients to make Orange Soda Float –
- Orange soda
- Ice cream (preferably vanilla)
Procedure –
- Place a large scoop of ice cream in a large glass.
- Slowly pour the orange soda over the ice cream until ¾th of the glass is filled.
- Top if off with another large scoop of the ice cream and sip away!


text:
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