Noticed on my second set of patio furniture which is less than a week old that I have burn marks on my patio furniture cushions. They are nearly a foot long and bad enough i have to dispose of my cushions. I though my old set someone had accidently spilled grease on them or something and in the sun they melted the fabric as the cushions were old. However in less than a week on my new cushions I noticed on large long burn looking mark at an angle. Then I noticed a few strips of dead or dying grass at the same angle next to the chair. The angle is suggesting a neighbor who we don’t talk to but have had issues with on noise complaints is spraying them. They would have to shoot the stuff about 25 feet or more over their fence. Don’t want to point fingers but its scary as I have small children and its very odd. Any suggestions or advice or what this chemical burn could be from?

My husband and I are having an issue as to how to handle our friend’s children when they come to our home. We have no children and are not planning to have any. Many of our friends have kids and bring them along when they come to visit. Most of our friend’s kids are very well behaved but there is one couple friend of ours whose son is just awful. He will not listen to anything. His mom carries those mini chocolate bars in her purse and is giving them to him constantly while he is in our living room. He then proceeds to wipe his chocolate covered fingers all over our furniture. He plays our Wii all the time and holds the remote like two inches from the screen and doesn’t wear the wrist band (he has almost broken our television doing this). Last week, they came over and he was playing with an expensive vase that had been a gift from my grandmother. His mom didn’t say anything so I asked him to please put the vase down so he gave me this look and then dropped it on the floor; shattering it into a million pieces (btw, he’s 3) and his mom just looked over at me and said "Oops; sorry". My husband said something to her about it and she got totally offended and said "That’s just the way kids are; if you had any, you would know that". She told my husband that we are not supposed to be "parenting" her son. I didn’t think we were but are we not allowed to make rules in our own home? When we go to others’ homes, we follow their house rules and behave respectfully. Now, my question is; were we in the wrong here?

I’m asking for advise from parents out there.

My husband and are a childfree couple. We have several good friends who do have children. The problem is when we invite our friends to our home, they do not keep an appropriate eye on their children. They let their kids run all over the house, pick up expensive items and play with them, allow them to eat in our living room (in once instance, the mother brings those mini chocolate bars in her purse for her 3 year old son who then puts his sticky, chocolate fingers all over our furniture) etc..the last straw came a few weeks ago when our friends came over with their four year old and let him play with our Wii without making him wear the wrist band..he also stood right directly in front of the TV and came very close to hitting our screen several times (we have a 70 inch flatscreen television). We also have a Lhasa Apso puppy who is very scared of kids as she’s not used to being around them. Our dog has been slapped by one of the kids as well as having her tailed pulled all the time. The parents say nothing. They just smile and say something like "Isn’t that cute?" No, it’s not. I’m not sure what to do. I don’t feel right "parenting" someone elses’ child but don’t we have the right to enforce rules in our own home? When we visit others’ homes, we show respect for their house and any house rules so I don’t see why it’s any different when they come to our house. Whenever I have dared to say something, I get told that I "just don’t get it" because I’m not a mother but I don’t see what that has to do with basic respect. Am I wrong?

Any ideas welcome!!

I’m asking for advise from parents out there.

My husband and are a childfree couple. We have several good friends who do have children. The problem is when we invite our friends to our home, they do not keep an appropriate eye on their children. They let their kids run all over the house, pick up expensive items and play with them, allow them to eat in our living room (in once instance, the mother brings those mini chocolate bars in her purse for her 3 year old son who then puts his sticky, chocolate fingers all over our furniture) etc..the last straw came a few weeks ago when our friends came over with their four year old and let him play with our Wii without making him wear the wrist band..he also stood right directly in front of the TV and came very close to hitting our screen several times (we have a 70 inch flatscreen television). We also have a Lhasa Apso puppy who is very scared of kids as she’s not used to being around them. Our dog has been slapped by one of the kids as well as having her tailed pulled all the time. The parents say nothing. They just smile and say something like "Isn’t that cute?" No, it’s not. I’m not sure what to do. I don’t feel right "parenting" someone elses’ child but don’t we have the right to enforce rules in our own home? When we visit others’ homes, we show respect for their house and any house rules so I don’t see why it’s any different when they come to our house. Whenever I have dared to say something, I get told that I "just don’t get it" because I’m not a mother but I don’t see what that has to do with basic respect. Am I wrong?

Any ideas welcome!!

I just came up with this plot so I now it might be a little rough. Just tell me what you think, be honest but not rude.

The sun was falling out of the orange sky into the blood red sea. Water danced and mirrored the sun, blinding anyone who looked straight at it. Sweat trickled down Dylan’s face and spine, moving boxes into his new dorm was hard work. College officially starts in a week but now is the time to move in and start a new life.

“Is that the last box?” Mark, Dylan’s roommate, pointed to the cardboard box labeled “books”.

“Yes, I believe so.” Dylan replied as he took his box into the building.

“Of course you leave me the heaviest box.” Mark muttered under his breathe. He bent down to pick up the box and took it inside with a lot of huffing and puffing.

Mark dropped the box in front of the dorm’s doorway and kicked it into the room, next to all the other stuff. He then flopped down on a bean bag chair and moaned like he was dying.

“If you were going to act like a big baby I would have brought that damn box in myself.” Dylan said as he stepped away from the only window in the dorm. He put his hands on his hips and tried to picture were they were going to put all their crap.

“Man, I think we brought too much sh*t.” Mark stated, looking around the room but not making a move to get up.

“You can say that again…… Well, we can either unpack now and eat later or eat now and unpack later. Which sounds better to you?”

“Dinner, no doubt. My stomach is going to turn on itself any second.” Mark said and jumped up from the red bean bag chair. He laced his fingers over his stomach and leaned forward acting like he hadn’t eaten in days.

“Ok, stop the dramatics and you’re buying.” Dylan walked out and Mark followed with a smirk on his face, he loves getting under people’s skin.

Blue Moon Bar and Grill was packed. New and old students bleed together, creating a mess of bodies. Laughter hovered in the air, music from the speakers overhead were whispers in the wind compared to the chatter.

During the chaos and the push into the glass doors Dylan and Mark separated. Dylan got on his tip-toes glancing over each head determined to find his friend, but Mark was one in many that had short brown hair. Mark became the needle in the titanic sized hay stack.

“Over here! Dylan, over here man!” Mark shouted using his hands to project his voice through the noise surrounding them.

Dylan spotted him at the bar; he was sitting on one stool and had a lean tanned leg on the stool to his right. Mark was waving his arms around high above his head with such speed. He could have landed a plane in the middle of the bar with those moves.

Dylan dove into the crowd, he was pushed, stepped on, and yelled at but he made it to the bar. “I need a drink, now,” was all he said when he sat down.

Mark nodded his head and shouted to the bar tender, “two shots over here!” Moments later two shot glasses slide down the bar to them. The amber liquid was topped with white foam. They clicked their glasses together yelling, “Freedom!” at the same time. The whiskey was bitter and warm but it hit the spot.

Dylan relaxed a little after his second shot. Letting the liquor take over his body. He scanned the many faces in the bar trying to see if he knew anyone. All the faces were strangers; everyone was laughing, yelling, kissing, or texting. He rescanned the room and his eyes locked on one person. He didn’t know her but he wanted to.

And when I say "feelings" i’m referring to an interest, small crush or the makings of a crush.

So a couple of days ago my friend had a party and this cute guy I know was there.
When we first saw each other he smiled and smiled and said hi, then kept walking.
Later on in the night, we kept making eye contact..maybe two or three times. At one point I ended up at the kitchen Island and he was there sitting talking to another girl, while I was playing this drinking games with the others around the island( the island had stools) Then he stopped his conversation with the girl and was watching the game and then he asked who’s mickey(bottle of liquor) was on the counter and it happened to be mine, I responded and then he asked if he could have some I said yes, being the kind…and drunk person that I was, ha ha. Then the girl finally got up and I went and took her place a few minutes later. We started talking and everything and then suddenly( my memory blanks here) we were holding hands fingers interlocked loosely. We sat there for a good 5 minutes with me sometimes putting my head on his shoulder. Then he got up and went to the bathroom and someone had taken his spot so he sat at another table..I confused..do you think that meant anything or was it just drunk happenings? Also me and this guy sometimes make eye contact around school..not often but when we do..I feel something..I just can’t put my finger on it though.

Side notes:

We were tipsy, bordering light drunkenness.

Thanks for your help and honest opinions!

Ash <3

Yesterday we had lunch with some friends, their daughter and daughter’s kids.

The 6 year old had spaghetti with no sauce. She pcked up each strand with her fingers, put one end in her mouth and sucked it in. Her grandmother told her several times that she shouldnt do that. Grandma showed her how to wind the spaghetti around her fork. The kid didnt pay any attention. Sucked it all down.

The 3 yr old was up and running all over. He hid under booths, crawled around other people’s feet, ran thu the bar area and was crawling on the pool table in the game room.

The kids grandmother said sternly not to do this. Grandfather said to stop, or he’d be forced to go get the boy himself. But, neither of them did more than admonish them.

The kid’s mother sat there. Paid very little attention to the kids behaviour.

I wanted to get up, get that little boy, set him down in his chair and tell him I would spank if he got up again, & mean it. I didnt tho.

What should I have done?

The door knocked twice. The old man got from his chair beside the kitchen table and opened the door.

“Hello,” A tall man, in a smirked shirt smiled as he placed a grey rope into the old man’s hand. “Do you need anything else, Mr. Dan?”

The old man grinned with his head drooping forward then closed the door.

He had something else on his mind; an image that hovered in his head since the day his daughter left him.

He could feel cold wings fluttering against his arms; the angel of death approached him, tiptoeing towards his chair.

Everyday he could feel the black wings drawing closer.
However, today, the black wings stroked his body gently, summoning his spirit bit by bit.

Mr. Dan placed the stool beside the table at the living room. He bowed down against the couch, dipped his hands between the pillows and took out the remote control. After pressing it, the TV droned with a dance song. Mr. Dan smiled and the remote control slipped down from his fingers, sounding over the wooden floor.

The door knocked twice. The old man got from his chair beside the kitchen table and opened the door.

“Hello,” A tall man, in a smirked shirt smiled as he placed a grey rope into the old man’s hand. “Do you need anything else, Mr. Dan?”

The old man grinned with his head drooping forward then closed the door.

He had something else on his mind; an image that hovered in his head since the day his daughter left him.

He could feel cold wings fluttering against his arms; the angel of death approached him, tiptoeing towards his chair.

Everyday he could feel the black wings drawing closer.
However, today, the black wings stroked his body gently, summoning his spirit bit by bit.

Mr. Dan placed the stool beside the table at the living room. He bowed down against the couch, dipped his hands between the pillows and took out the remote control. After pressing it, the TV droned with a dance song. Mr. Dan smiled and the remote control slipped down from his fingers, sounding over the wooden floor.

The door knocked twice. The old man got from his chair beside the kitchen table and opened the door.

“Hello,” A tall man, in a smirked shirt smiled as he placed a grey rope into the old man’s hand. “Do you need anything else, Mr. Dan?”

The old man grinned with his head drooping forward then closed the door.

He had something else on his mind; an image that hovered in his head since the day his daughter left him.

He could feel cold wings fluttering against his arms; the angel of death approached him, tiptoeing towards his chair.

Everyday he could feel the black wings drawing closer.
However, today, the black wings stroked his body gently, summoning his spirit bit by bit.

Mr. Dan placed the stool beside the table at the living room. He bowed down against the couch, dipped his hands between the pillows and took out the remote control. After pressing it, the TV droned with a dance song. Mr. Dan smiled and the remote control slipped down from his fingers, sounding over the wooden floor

When I tell people my house is child proofed, they look at me like I’m nuts. When I say it’s childproofed, it is: doors have triple locks-including locks above my head that they can’t reach, cabinets and drawers are locked, plug ins are covered, things are anchored to the wall when needed, breakable objects are removed or put up very high, windows are locked, stove is locked, bathrooms and pantry are child locked, chemicals are locked, back yard has a 6 foot privacy fence that is locked from the inside and outside, stairs have locking gates, doors have pads so no one can pinch their fingers or lock themselves in, beds have rails, medicines are put up high in a locked room, sharp objects are locked away, we spent a little extra on bar chairs to get something sturdy so it won’t fall over with a child in it…….

These are things that we have added over the years to protect the children. I don’t see anything wrong with it. It keeps them out of trouble and keeps me focused on playing and educating them, not worrying about what they might get into.

Is this unreasonable?
TOO RIGHT! Kids will find ways to hurt themselves. But, that’s how they learn things!
Linda: You assume I don’t allow them to explore, you are wrong. They have their own cabinet as well, filled with toys and plastic ware. Ethan pulls a chair up every time I make a meal. We play playdo and do workbooks and read together and do crafting projects and color and paint. They have their own cabinets in the bathroom, they have anything they want in their bedrooms. They even have a cabinet in my bathroom full of toys. They are allowed in every room of the house to explore as they want.

I saw a group of men beaten to a pulp in black and white
Bar chairs were flying and the air was full of might
Checkered tiles were gleaming with African blood so thick
And an elderly man nearby whistled with his walking stick

I saw a curly-headed boy tapping his fingers on a milk glass
Porch chairs were swaying as muddied pick-up tricks went past
Tire tracks were peeling with a foreboding of gun shots
And an elderly man nearby mingled among vacant apartment lots

I saw guards neath’ twilight wielding metallic batons
Figures honing in looked just like rooks and pawns
People were all crowding to see the gruesome display
And the elderly man walked his hound as if it were any other day

It’s a coming of age story, i guess. I still have a few ideas to work in the story but its mainly about Oliver and Sarah being forced to play 7 Minutes in Heaven at a party, but both end up with the same sex as their partner. After that night Oliver begins to question his sexuality, and it influences Sarah to think she’s a lesbian (Though, in the closet where they play the game at the party, Oliver and the guy end up doing more than Sarah and her partner.)
Sorry if there are any spelling or grammatical errors.
P.S There is a bit of cussing, just to let you know, but it’s a part of the character
—-
Drunken teenagers, dirty dancing, and music blasting loud enough to make your ears ring for days.
It was a typical high school party.
Oliver jumped out of his Hummer, almost hitting a few party people in the driveway. Sarah followed suit, and the two friends walked up to the porch. Sarah linked arms with Oliver and intertwined her fingers with his, as if it was nothing, though the two were not together. It was sort of a secret pact, if you will; You see, Sarah and Oliver were best friends, though like in the movies and TV shows, they never were together as a couple and never thought about it, but they acted like a couple for their school. Everyone already thought they were, since they were always hanging out together, and whenever they tried to deny it, people just smiled and rolled their eyes.
The two waited outside for the line into the party to move, talking to each other and waving to guests they knew. The music was loud enough to hear from blocks away, and people waiting in line danced, as did the two friends. Slowly, the line moved, and the two friends found themselves at the threshold of the front door. Sarah was laughing into Oliver’s jacket from seeing people’s wild dancing. Oliver smiled and carried her in as the host of this party appeared in front of the friends, smiling and he bowed, making a gesture as if to show off what a great party he was throwing, and disappeared as quickly as he came.
` Sarah led the way to the kitchen where teens huddled around finger sandwiches and bags of chips. She loaded her plate with food, though of course she was going to share with her friend, but she could easily eat the entire food mountain she was building, with her fast metabolism. She turned around, expecting Oliver to be close by, but he was nowhere near her. She was puzzled, but shrugged it off; a girl must’ve gotten a hold of him and started dancing with him, or he was off saying his hello’s to the people he hadn’t seen since the beginning of summer. She picked at the food from her bar stool in the kitchen looking out at the dance floor. She liked parties, sure—but she was shy, honestly. She was pretty, that was a fact, with her chocolate brown eyes and long wavy blond hair and the few freckles on her face, but that was the problem; if she were to show up in a police car and be in for a mug shot, the officers would most likely laugh and send her on her way. She was smart and had friends and was known in school, but she wasn’t a slut, she didn’t do any drugs or play any sports, so she wasn’t exactly in the “In-crowd” or tough, and she wasn’t one of the many girls out on the floor grinding against a guy. She sighed and began to stuff her face with the pile of chips, but that was before someone filled the void beside her and took her hand to kiss it.

Suddenly grabbed by the hood of his black jacket, Oliver was quickly pulled away from his friend and was escorted through the groups of people and soon enough, he was thrown into a closet, hitting the back wall and enclosed in darkness. Needless to say, he was utterly confused and was only accompanied with a rising headache. He stood up, but fell, and laughed. “Okay guys, very funny, now lemme out.” He stood and knocked on the door, but no one heard it outside, where the music blasted and a group of girls searched the room for their next victim. He started to yell even more, maybe for the fear of this wasn’t a game, but it was a prank and he was going to say in there for the next few hours, but it was no use. He sighed and backed up, but was soon knocked down as the door flung open and someone else was pushed in and crashed on top of him. He knocked back against the wall, again, and the force that was now uncomfortably on top of him let out a groan.
“What the f*ck…” Said the now way-too-close body on top of Oliver. Oliver soon pushed off the weight and another groan and sigh was heard. “What the hell is going on?”
“Well unless there is going to be another body in here for some kind of new closet cult, I’m pretty sure they want us to play that 7 minutes in heaven game…”
“No sh*t, Sherlock. The problem is, you’re a guy, aren’t you?”
Oliver snorted. “Well, isn’t it obvious by my voice?”
“Uh, not really, maybe the girls outside didn’t pick that up either, since you sound like a girl, honestly. But anyways, I’m not gay, and I am definitely not about to tr
Try* sorry

Hi, so I have writers block on my novel and can’t seem to get passed it but I still want to write so I thought writing a fan fic would be relaxing – I was right, lol – anyway the past that has *** beside it should be in italic font. So, what do you think?

“Jacob called again,” mom shouted from the kitchen. I do not know why she was in there they never used it except when granddad came over and she was trying to look ‘human’.

“I’ll call him later, mom.” I replied with no intention of doing it. Why did he have to tell me about them? Pulling out the music sheet dad forced me to play every night from my school backpack I relocated from the living room window to the stool by the grand piano. I don’t even know why I was bothering to try. I never inherited my ‘musical talents’ from my father’s side of the family but it made him happy to see me play and that’s all that mattered. Propping the wrinkled sheet against the gold music stand my fingers ran over the ivory keys. I looked around to make sure no one was present and I gently tapped the first key.

“Oh god, my ears.” Uncle Emmett was beside me in two seconds flat, his hands above his head pleading with the skies. “Make her stop.”
“Funny,” I said but I knew he was right there was no way I was ever going to learn this. I pulled the sheet down and walked past him with my head dipping.
“Oh, come on Nessie, I was fooling around,” he begged, “Come back you’ve only begun.”
“Go annoy, Jasper,” I shouted back in return.

When I entered the kitchen, Mom was cooking her signature dish of Chicken Enchiladas and I knew Granddad Charlie must be due soon.
“I didn’t know Granddad was coming?” I said, opening the white cupboard doors and pulling out two plates.

“Aunt Alice is away to pick him up just now,” Mom replied. “I think he has some news for us.” She hurried from the sink to the stove as she hummed away merrily. I knew she loved feeling human again whenever she got the chance and any other day I would love to sit at the kitchen table and watch her, but not today. No, not after what Jacob had told me.

“Mom, can I pass on dinner?” I asked hoping she would turn around and I could melt her with the same look I used on dad with the help of my chocolate brown eyes.
“Darling,” she began still rushing about the large kitchen, “You haven’t seen Granddad for a while now. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said looking down at the marble tiles, “I have a test at school I have to study for.”

How could I tell her the truth? How was I supposed to tell her that the man I loved just broke my heart by telling me, he once loved my mom? Stupid Jacob Black. I hated him for what he just told me. However, I couldn’t just switch my feelings off; I loved him also. A tear ran down my face as mom came and sat her cold white hand upon my shoulder.

“It’s okay to be excused tonight, sweetheart. You go study for that test.” She kissed my head and a chill ran through my body. My mother never asked me much about my problems; she knew how it felt to be asked repeatedly about something and never wanting to open up. She always knew how to make my problems better without having to dig around to find out what was wrong. However, she wouldn’t be able to solve this one. Not this time.

Back in the familiar surroundings of the cottage, I made my way into my tiny bedroom. The walls in here reflected my mood they were dark purple and the swirls on them looked like the constant dark clouds that hovered over Forks. I fell onto my bed, switched on my music player, and placed the buds into my ears and turned the volume up full blast, hoping the noise would distract my brain from recalling the moment Jacob told me.

Italic font*** It was sunny outside and I had to screen my eyes with my hand so I could see him coming towards me. My heart fluttered as he came closer and closer. Abby – my best friend – was complaining about how lucky I was to be dating someone so gorgeous. I ignored her and concentrated on Jacob. The way he walked, talked, and smiled always sent my heart into overdrive. He had been around me for as long as I could remember and it just felt right to be near him.

I lifted my hand to wave at him only stopping when I realised he wasn’t making his way towards me. I watched in horror as he simply strolled past without noticing me, and into very young looking arms, of my mother.

“Bella,” he said, picking her up and twirling her.
“Jake,” she cried. “I’ve missed you so much.”

He placed her down on the sidewalk and gently took her hands, “It’s always been you. You’re the one I’m meant to be with. Does your offer still stand to run away?”
“Jacob, I can’t just leave my daughter or my family but I will find a way to be with you.”

The space between them closed in as Jacob bent down and kissed her lips, transformed, and ran away. I called after him but it was no use, I was invisible, to him at least. My mother walked ove
. My mother walked over to me and took my hand.
“Don’t worry Nessie,” she said. “It was always supposed to be this way.”*** Italic font end!

I woke up with tears running down my face and soaking my pillow. The music, I had fallen asleep to, was skipping on a track. I pulled the buds out my ears and threw them on the floor. I heard low mumbling coming from the living room area and realised it must be late if dad and mom were back; dad was hunting today and said he wouldn’t be back until nightfall. Not wanting to cause a scene – dad already had a dislike for Jacob, this would just make it worse- I fell back onto my single wooden bed and traced the engraving on the headboard, ‘look after my heart, I’ve left it with you.’
Yes, I have 2 chapters…so far!

You can read them @ www.bitten.proforums.org its a twilight fansite and Im going to add it there x

Hi, so I’m bored and wanted to write something. So here it is. What do you think? It is in Renesmee point of view.

Thanks x

“Jacob called again,” mom shouted from the kitchen. I do not know why she was in there they never used it except when granddad came over and she was trying to look ‘human’.

“I’ll call him later, mom.” I replied with no intention of doing it. Why did he have to tell me about them? Pulling out the music sheet dad forced me to play every night from my school backpack I relocated from the living room window to the stool by the grand piano. I don’t even know why I was bothering to try. I never inherited my ‘musical talents’ from my father’s side of the family but it made him happy to see me play and that’s all that mattered. Propping the wrinkled sheet against the gold music stand my fingers ran over the ivory keys. I looked around to make sure no one was around and then I gently tapped the first key.

“Oh god, my ears.” Uncle Emmet was beside me in two seconds flat, his hands above his head pleading with the skies. “Make her stop.”

“Funny,” I said, but I knew he was right there was no way I was ever going to learn this. I pulled the sheet down and walked past him with my head dipping.

“Oh, come on Nessie, I was fooling around,” he begged, “Come back you’ve only begun.”

“Go annoy, Jasper,” I shouted back in return.

When I entered the kitchen, Mom was cooking her signature dish of Chicken Enchiladas and I knew Granddad Charlie must be due soon.

“I didn’t know Granddad was coming?” I said, opening the white cupboard doors and pulling out two plates.

“Aunt Alice is away to pick him up just now,” Mom replied. “I think he has some news for us.” She hurried from the sink to the stove as she hummed away merrily. I knew she loved feeling human again whenever she got the chance and any other day I would love to sit at the kitchen table and watch her, but not today. No, not after what Jacob had told me.

“Mom, can I pass on dinner?” I asked hoping she would turn around and I could melt her with the same look I used on dad with the help of my chocolate brown eyes.

“Darling,” she began still rushing about the large kitchen, “You haven’t seen Granddad for a while now. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I said looking down at the marble tiles, “I have a test at school I have to study for.”

How could I tell her the truth? How was I supposed to tell her that the man I loved just broke my heart by telling me, he once loved my mom? Stupid Jacob Black. I hated him for what he just told me. However, I couldn’t just switch my feelings off; I loved him also. A tear ran down my face as mom came and sat her cold white hand upon my shoulder.

“It’s okay to be excused tonight, sweetheart. You go study for that test.” She kissed my head and a chill ran through my body. My mother never asked me much about my problems; she knew how it felt to be asked repeatedly about something and never wanting to open up. She always knew how to make my problems better without having to dig around to find out what was wrong. But, she wouldn’t be able to solve this one. Not this time.
oops I din’t even notice that lol x
I do write my own but I have writers block at the moment and just can’t seem to get passed it x