Christian, wife, adoptive mum… rain or shine!
The thing is adoption (and parenting in general) is filled with lots of those days, and those days.
It all started when the boys managed to stay in their room (note still not quite beds!!) until the sun rose on their Gro Clock. It meant we didn't start the day getting grumpy with them and them with us. It meant we could shower them with praise to set them up for the day. If we look hard enough, there is always something to praise, to show them they are valued and motivate them to co-operate!
We reviewed our visual timetable and discovered today was the day we get their new bikes! The bikes were never a bribe, but they did seem to inspire obedience! Gifts are given freely, bribes have strings attached. Giving our children gifts without strings sometimes is an illustration to them that our love comes without strings attached.
After breakfast, the boys helped tidy away the laundry. I love getting them to help out with housework. Taking responsibility for their home means it is just that: their home. Plus it's good training for them, often useful for me, and nearly always becomes a fun game!
Once we were dressed (and had narrowly avoided a minor meltdown) we set off for the park. Our favourite park is next to Spiderboy's new school and we go often as we're preparing him for September. This morning it was empty and the sun was shining bright.
The boys feel safe there, it is familiar, it is never busy and it is surrounded by wide open space. Watching your children playing carefree should never be taken for granted. We played for an hour, and we were just feeling ready to leave as another family arrived. Thankfully it was polling day, and the community centre was open so we could use the toilets.
After a snack we went on to the farm. We have annual passes there and we make good use of them. Parenting in summer is a million times easier than in the winter! We arrived just in time to feed the lambs.
After we got home and had some lunch, it was Quiet Time. At Quiet Time you either sleep, read a book or watch a film, the idea being I can get some jobs done. In reality I either spend the time soothing Batboy and trying to teach him to feel safe enough to go to sleep without me, or needing to sit with Spiderboy while he watches a DVD so he knows I haven't forgotten him.
Today however, Batboy went straight down for a nap and Spiderboy settled happily in front of The Lion King. And so I managed to pay some bills, roast a chicken, load the dishwasher, hang up laundry and set another load going, make two weeks worth of pasta lunches to freeze for husband to take to work, and drink a cup of tea! It was really satisfying to use my time well, and reassuring to get some much needed jobs done! Not to mention getting to listen to the radio for 90 minutes! Sometimes housework is as soothing as any form of self care.
The Lion King finished before Batboy woke up, so I was able to do some reading practice with Spiderboy. Cue loads of over the top praise, eye contact and one to one attention, all of which he really needs and loves.
Then it was time to go and pick Daddy and the new bikes up. The boys were so excited that they were getting big boy bikes, and I was so excited that we were the ones giving them to them!
The boys loved their bikes. They didn't say thank you. We really want to teach good manners, but today I didn't mind because I'm glad they take it for granted that we give them good things. We are their parents. That sense of entitlement that often drives me mad in other children, fills me with joy in my own! At one point as Spiderboy cycled round the playground he shouted at the top of his voice "thanks Dad!" and my heart exploded.
After much riding, falling off, ringing bells and taking bottles in and out of holders, we set off home. There was some pasta leftover from the lunches I made so tea was easy, and then after a quick shower we had family Bible time. We were reading Revelation (in this children's Bible).
The boys are really starting to engage with Bible time, they ask questions and make links with other parts they know. We know a song about the passage we were reading too, so the day ended in spontaneous singing and snuggling.
The passage reminded me though that even our very best days here are nothing in comparison to the perfect eternity God promises for His people when we are finally with Him.
Today has been one of those days. We all have them. Those almost perfect days. Those days that make all the others a little bit easier.
Now that Spiderboy is starting to settle into our family and our home, he is starting to feel safe. This is great because he is beginning to trust us and to let his guard down. It also means that he is more afraid of change and loss because as he begins to care about us, he has more to lose. And it also means that he feels comfortable to show us his feelings. We are told that this is great progress. But that doesn't make it any easier!
The way this presents itself is in violent outbursts and emotional meltdowns. Sometimes triggered by anxieties linked to his early trauma. Sometimes triggered by things that would upset a 'normal' four year old like no ice cream, or his brother snatching. But because his emotional development is around the same stage as a six month old, he is unable to regulate himself. Before babies learn to regulate, they cry and thrash their little arms around. As they are cared for and nurtured, they learn to regulate themselves. A baby who isn't comforted, rocked and cared for won't learn to regulate. The trouble is, when they are four it looks more like throwing things, biting, swearing, shouting, screaming etc.
When Spiderboy gets to this point, the logic part of his brain is switched off. He goes into survival mode and his whole being will fight. He does not have the ability to rationalise, self soothe or regulate. At this point his brain is flooded with stress hormones and he needs time to literally clear his head again before he is able to talk about what has happened. The only thing we can do is to keep him and ourselves safe, and to try and reassure him that he is safe and loved.
Suddenly, in a stroke of rare genius, I remembered my training! I wondered aloud (!) if Spiderboy was a bit like that thistle. Did he worry that people might hurt him if they got too close? Did he think that if he was 'spiky' he could keep people away? I wondered if I was a bit like that butterfly. I had seen past his spiky bits, and fallen in love with a kind, clever, brilliant, brave little boy. I wondered if that made him feel worried. Did he think that if I knew him properly I would stop loving him? Did he think that by hurting me he could keep me from knowing him?
Spiderboy didn't say much, but I could tell he was taking in what I'd said. I'm beginning to learn that there isn't going to be a Moment, a Moment when everything clicks and he accepts that he is loved and safe. But there are going to be lots of moments, moments of reassurance and realisation. And the drip drip drip of little moments, will one day make the big difference.
In that moment, we cuddled. I told him I loved him forever – when he hurts me and when he hugs me. He told me he was sorry, and that he loves me too. I knew it would happen again, if not that day, then the next. But we keep going, because everything I said is true.
He is the beautiful, spiky thistle. I am the butterfly that got too close. And I love him still, spikes and all.
Since the boys have arrived with us, we regularly talk with them about their life with foster carers. Whether that's their anecdotal stories or more serious questions, we have tried to make it normal.
One thing that has never come up in conversation is their life before foster care. They were taken into care too young to remember much, if any, of life with their birth family. But they were having contact until 9 months ago, and so I'm pretty sure they will have some memories of that. However, they don't seem to have any understanding of who those people were.
We have been waiting until we have their Life Story Books to bring up the subject. It feels very massive to just throw into conversation. And without photos, it's hard to know if they even know who we're talking about! It feels like we need to set aside a lot of time, and there's always something else to do. Mostly I'm just terrified of how they will respond, and how it will make them feel.
Our social worker visited today. We talked about how the book William Wobbly has helped us explain to the boys why they struggle to regulate their feelings. The book explains that young children need grown ups to teach them how to manage their 'wobbly feelings', and William Wobbly (and our boys) didn't have that. Our social worker asked if we've been specific about whose job that was, and I said no.
She gently encouraged us that we can start talking about it now. Start piecing the fragments together. We don't have to wait for the official book. We do have a handful of photos we could use now. In fact, waiting until one day we pull out a massive ring binder of information could be overwhelming! And the longer we leave it to talk about, the harder it could become.
Our social worker gave us some ideas about how we could do this, and I will write about them as we test them out.
Our boys need to know where they have come from.
I think that I think by not telling them their past I can protect them from it. But that's not true, they've already lived – and survived – it. Not talking about it doesn't mean they aren't affected by it. Perhaps this desire to protect them now comes from my sadness or guilt that I wasn't there to protect them when they needed me.
Their past is a part of them, but it doesn't define them.
Yesterday morning, as usual, I was at a ladies' Bible study at our church. There is a group for the children in the room next door, Batboy usually stays in it, I'm still working on Spiderboy! That morning he chose to join in and stayed until the end. Then, as we were finishing, he came running in to me in tears. My friend, who was running the group, was with him. She explained that he'd accidentally hit her face during a game, and when he was asked to say sorry he'd gotten very upset. She then said, helpfully, how hard all children find it to say sorry, which is true. And for children who already struggle with shame and self esteem, it can be almost crippling to apologise. And in Spiderboy's case, it can lead to more and more negative behaviours in an attempt to avoid apologising for the initial offence!
Most children approach life with the opinion that they are important, and the world revolves around them. It is normal for children to feel pretty good about themselves, most of the time. This is important as children explore the world because it gives them the confidence to try things. It's also important because it allows them to develop relationships and trust. They can believe that people would love them – why wouldn't they?!
For children who have suffered trauma and loss at an early age, as most adopted children have, it is more normal that they approach life with the idea that they are bad and they are not worth loving. They often feel ashamed of themselves, and blame the neglect/abuse/rejection on themselves, rather than on the adults who should have been caring for them.
He works very hard to try and hold our attention because if he loses it, he might not get it back. He constantly asks for reassurance that he is doing a good job to make sure we are still pleased with him. When he does 'bad things', he assumes we no longer love him – his first experiences of love were not the unconditional, selfless, caring love that most infants experience. In fact, often when he misbehaves his first reaction is to hide; then his second reaction is to hit, kick, shout or spit. I think it's a survival technique. He thinks if we tell him off, then we don't love him anymore and we are going to send him away. And so he does all he can to prove that he isn't lovable.
As we get to know our wonderful little man more, we're changing how we deal with his challenging behaviour. But we still always insist on saying sorry. It's how we repair relationships, it's how we show we still love each other. It's very difficult for Spiderboy because it gives him more evidence that he is a bad person, and he isn't worth loving. But every time he does something wrong and we love him anyway, every time we make him say sorry but don't send him away, we're proving him wrong. We show him he is worth loving, he is special, he is important, he is ours.
And maybe one day, he might start to believe us.
Guitars and Waistcoats… two very different boys.
It started this morning, almost as soon as we woke. Spiderboy had specific breakfast instructions, what bowl, what spoon, whether the spoon should be in the bowl or not. Batboy devoured whatever I put in front of him. Spiderboy needed a wipe for each little splash. Batboy seemed to be cleaning the table, and himself, with milk.
Then we went upstairs. Spiderboy chose a shirt, tie, waistcoat and jacket with skinny jeans that matched his tie. Batboy wore jeans and a t-shirt. Spiderboy wanted to check the sometimes, always, never rule as he did his buttons. Batboy's t-shirt was back to front. I combed their hair, Spiderboy's is fine and silky, it won't go out of place. Batboy's is thick and fuzzy, it won't go in to place.
The boys packed a rucksack for church. Spiderboy packed lots of books, and a game to play with his friends. Batboy packed only his guitar. When we got there, Batboy charged in while Spiderboy held back. Spiderboy read his books and then found some other children to play pairs with. Batboy chatted with adults and watched the music practice, standing as close as humanly possible. When it was time to go to their groups, Spiderboy clung to me and protested. Batboy went happily with the teachers.
I won't go on, you get the point!
We adopted a 'sibling group'. But we also adopted two individuals. They came as a pair, but they are also separate. And they both have very distinctive natures! When we went to Matching Panel, one of their questions was about how we would meet their individual needs. I'm not sure what we answered, but it must have been good enough. I remember thinking at the time that it wouldn't be so tricky. We'd only read their CPRs (Child Permanence Report – basically everything there is to know about a child before you commit to being their parent), and they didn't sound that different.
It has since become apparent that while the CPRs were accurate and detailed when it comes to medical and family history, it did not give a very good picture of who our boys are. There was clearly a lot of copying and pasting, and also guessing on the part of whoever wrote it!
We were told that both boys loved superheroes. Not true. We were told that they both loved dressing up. Not true. We were told that both boys loved Stick Man. Not true. We were told that they both watched CBeebies. Not true.
Our boys share many things. Biological parents, early life experiences, foster carers, hair colour, eye colour. But they do not share temperaments, preferences, challenges.
When they first arrived, we did not know them so well. We tried to maintain a standard, therapeutic parenting approach. We quickly found that something that worked for one boy, would not work for the other. Although they have lived through the same things, the fears, anxieties, anger and happy memories that they took from them are very different.
We are still getting to know our boys individually, and our family as a whole. But I wonder if the phrase 'sibling group' is very helpful in the preparation and matching stage. It makes it sound like one thing. But adopting two children instead of one isn't just an extra mouth to feed or needing another bedroom. It's a whole person's worth of extra feelings and challenges to overcome.
It's also a whole person's worth of extra fun, cuddles and laughter. Everyday I am confused by their differences, but in awe of their shared resilience and courage. Every day I am amazed that God has blessed me with not one, but two amazing, wonderful little men.
One of the first things Batboy said to me was "where your belly button?" For the first few weeks he had a mild fascination with belly buttons, and would ask to look at new people's. It seemed to be his way of shaking hands, it's worn off now.
But belly buttons have remained significant for me. Everytime I see my boys' belly buttons, I'm reminded of the woman who used to be at the other end. A woman I've never met. A woman who gave life to my boys. Whose body created, nourished and protected their bodies for 9 months.
That physical bond was severed at birth, but the scar will be there always. It makes me wonder when exactly the emotional bond severed; was it at birth too? Or when the boys were removed to foster care? Or at Final Contact? Was there ever an emotional bond?! And what scars will be there always, under their skin?
This woman who I know so little about will be part of my boys, of my family, of me forever.
Part of me will love her, because she is part of my boys and I love them. Without her, I would not have them.
Part of me will always feel angry, that they were not cared for as they should have been, and the damage that has left.
Part of me will always feel guilty. They are flesh of her flesh, and yet they are not hers.
And part of me will always feel jealous. She created my boys. That was my job. At their most vulnerable, she was with them, not me.
I wonder if one day they will feel the need to find the woman from the other end. I wonder if I will feel rejected, insufficient, jealous. I wonder how she will feel about me. I pray that I will have the strength to love and support my boys, rain or shine.
The Bible says that God is a Father. But not just any Father. The Bible says that God is an Adoptive Father.
I was very blessed to have wonderful parents who I knew loved me. My Dad always used to tell me that God loved me even me than he did! I couldn't quite understand it because how could anyone love me more than my parents did?! But the description of God as a Father was very helpful to me. For children whose first experience of a father or parent is very negative, this could be a hard thing to accept.
Since becoming an adoptive parent, I've learnt more about what it means to call God Father. You see, the Bible says that God chose His children, just as I chose my boys. I chose to bring them into my home, to care for and love them for the rest of their lives. But they didn't have much say.
Now of course, the Social Workers thought very seriously before deciding adoption was the right move for our boys. And we thought very seriously about if we could give these two boys the home they needed. The decision was made for their good. But they didn't see it like that at first. Yes, they were excited to have a new bedroom, and lots of attention and cuddles. But when they were tired, or ill, or in trouble they started to realise they weren't going back to the foster carers they'd lived with for 2 years.
In return, the boys would punch, kick and bite whilst screaming, "I don't love you." "I don't want you." "I don't live here." "You're not my Mummy." It hurts a lot. But it doesn't change the fact that I am their Mummy. Forever. And I love them. Forever.
In those moments, when I hold my little men close and try somehow to absorb all their pain away from them; I get a glimpse of what it was like for God to adopt me. The Bible says that all people turned away from God, it's in our genes. I did not love Him. I did not want Him. And yet God chose me. By His Spirit and through His Son, He made me His daughter.
As with all things, my reasons for wanting to be a mum were mixed. One that I might not have admitted before the boys arrived was the desire to feel loved, needed and special to somebody.
The constant demands of a 3 and 4 year old mean I feel needed most of the time. As for loved and special that can come and go! For the most part our boys are very cuddly and loving. One night Spiderboy told me "Mummy you're beautiful, I want to marry you." But there are also times when nothing I do is right, "I didn't want you to get married/stand there/speak/touch that/move my drink/cut my toast" are fairly regular complaints.
The more we get to know our boys, the more of their hurt and pain we understand. And the more I realise that being a Mummy isn't about being loved or special. It's about making sure my boys are loved and special.
And so last week when Spiderboy ran out of the kitchen and screamed "I don't love you anymore," my first reaction was to want to remind him why he should love me – I wash his clothes, cook his tea, wipe his bottom. I wanted him to know that it upset me and it wasn't kind. But for a moment I paused. And then my instincts kicked in and I did what I needed to do. I went to him gently and told him that I would always love him. I held him close until the fear and anger that had overwhelmed him began to subside. I wished that somehow all the pain inside him could somehow be inside me instead.
Because being Mummy to my two boys means that suddenly how I'm feeling doesn't matter. I am needed, yes, and putting aside my own feelings each day to meet those needs is what makes me special to these extra special boys. And when they rage and scream and tell me that they don't love me, I know that is only because they do that they feel safe enough to show me how they feel.
I suppose what I'm saying is that the biggest rewards of being a Mummy isn't being cuddled or kissed and the way that makes me feel; it's helping my boys slowly overcome their anxiety and pain and learn to manage their own Big Feelings. It's knowing that they feel loved, safe and special.
Our boys have been with us for ten and a half weeks. They've settled in remarkably well and have made a lot of progress in a short space of time. We've celebrated our first Christmas together and life is starting to feel 'normal'.
Normal is a strange word, and one I hear a lot at the moment. As we introduce the boys to more and more people, one thing I keep hearing is "aren't they so normal?!" It's meant as a compliment, and I completely understand what they mean. To the outsider it could seem like the boys have been here forever. We look like any ordinary family, and for the most part the boys act like any other 3 and 4 year olds.
But recently I've realised just how wrong that assessment is. My boys are not normal, they're definitely not ordinary. My boys are extraordinary little men. Let me tell you why.
My boys didn't have an easy start in life, although they also haven't had the hardest. They were removed from birth family aged 1 & 2 and placed in short term foster care. For 2 years. They were fortunate to stay with the same foster carers until they came home to us, and that has been a massive factor in building their resilience and their ability to form attachments. But it also means that in their short lives they've been ripped away from the centre of a familiar, close knit family unit. Twice.
However, from Day 1 the boys have called us Mummy and Daddy. They have called us a family and they love to chant our surname! It hasn't been easy, and on more than one occasion they've both screamed "you're not my Mummy," "I don't want you," or "I wan't *foster carer*." But on the whole they have attached to us really well, and we have to them! Our little boys lost everything they knew, twice, and yet they opened up their hearts to us and trusted us with them. That takes incredible strength.
Given everything they've been through, it's not surprising that our boys have some pretty Big Feelings to deal with for such little people. Spiderboy in particular carries a lot of anger. And I don't blame him. And yet, for the most part he is able to control it. Normally he saves it for home, where he feels safe, and then will let it rage! As he calms he is often able to talk through his anger, what sparked it and what might be a better way to handle it. But he isn't one to dwell on it, and once he's raged through it he will seek comfort and attachment and move quickly on. He is also a highly anxious child, who spends most of his waking day on high alert. And yet he is able to talk through and rationalise his anxieties in a way that I know I couldn't do without a lot of CBT! He will often ask for reassurance at times when he's feeling most vulnerable, "if naughty boys come and get me, will you fight them?" Batboy also has Big Feelings, and for a 3 year old he has incredible insight into them. Often he will tell us "I'm feeling sad because…" He's able to recognise his feelings and the reasons for them, and express them.
Not only are they learning to process their feelings, they are also able to recognise what they need. Spiderboy in particular has very low self esteem, when he meets new people he likes to dress as Spiderman "then they will like me." Shame and low self-esteem is common in children who have been adopted, and what he needs is a lot of reassurance, encouragement and praise. He knows what he needs, and so he asks for it! "If I eat my cucumber, will you give me a clap?" The other thing they both need is to be "babied" sometimes. For children who missed out on the nurture most babies experience, it's important they fill those gaps. Our boys love to be rocked like a baby, or carried around like babies, and so they ask! This was especially noticeable after our first contact with their half brother who was adopted elsewhere. This obviously unsettled them massively, and for days after there was a lot of big feelings, as well as a lot of requests to be rocked or carried.
Given that our boys missed out on early nurture experiences, they are both incredibly gentle and nurturing boys. At their youngest and most vulnerable, our boys were not shown nurture or compassion, and so we expected them to struggle with these things.
We weren't sure how they would react to meeting their 0 yr old cousin, but we didn't need to worry. They adored him, they loved to watch him, bring toys to make him smile, stroke his face, and especially share a bath with him! They are also very gentle with our cats.
In fact, they are two of the most loving, caring toddlers I've met. Most mornings Batboy asks me at breakfast, "you well?" They give the best cuddles and often whisper, "Guess what Mummy? I love you!" Everyday they make my heart melt with their cuddles and kisses and giggles. And everyday they stretch me to the limit of my patience, energy and emotional strength. Most of all, everyday they impress me with their incredible strength and resilience. So when you look at my boys and think they are 'normal little boys', know that it is precisely because they are extraordinarily strong, brave and compassionate little men that they can appear so ordinary!
So near, yet so far!
Three weeks ago, we attended a Life Appreciation Day. I'm not sure why it's called that because every time I hear it I think of a funeral. Anyway, this certainly wasn't a funeral. After being matched with our boys but before going to Matching Panel, the Life Appreciation Day was to give us as much information as possible and fill any gaps so everyone could be absolutely sure they wanted to proceed.
We knew it would be a long and emotional day, and so we traveled the night before and stayed over. We had a lovely dinner out at an all-you-can-eat buffet and then tried to relax, not easy when you're suddenly in the same town as your children who you've never met. The next morning we had an all-you-can-eat (spot the theme!) breakfast at the hotel before setting off for the foster carers (Mike and Marion's) house.
We knew our boys would be at nursery, but driving down the street was such a strange feeling. I kept looking at things – houses, cars, bins – and thinking, 'my boys have looked at that too.' Somehow having that house or car in common just for a second made me feel closer to them.
When we arrived at the foster carers house the boys' social worker and family finder were already there, but our social worker hadn't arrived yet. We didn't really know how it would go, or if there was a structure to the meeting. There didn't seem to be as everyone just started chatting, mostly about the boys. As soon as our social worker (Kate) arrived we felt a lot safer. She always seems to know what to say!
Mike and Marion are clearly very attached to the boys, they've had them for almost two years after all. It was obvious that they were very emotional and this made it hard. It felt like we were taking away their children. They were very professional and kind though, they kept saying things like, 'it's all part of the job!' with a laugh; but it was clearly very hard for them. We could see how loved the boys were from the way they talked about them, and that was a great comfort to us. They kept pointing out things around us – that's his blanket, he likes that cushion. Everytime they did my tummy went all funny. They boys were becoming more and more real. Then they showed us their bedroom.
At that point it all got too much for me. The feeling of being so close to them, without them being anywhere near was strange. We've grown to love these two little boys who we've never met. Seeing where they slept, their clothes hanging up, teddies on their bed. It was so happy, and so sad. Happy because we felt close to them. But sad because we weren't. I also felt incredibly guilty for taking these two wonderful boys from these two wonderful foster carers. Marion gave me a big hug. Although I don't know them, I do love them, because they have loved my boys, and my boys have loved them. They're part of my family's story. And knowing that my boys have been in that hug too was wonderful. When we came downstairs, all the social workers were sat with diaries out discussing Introductions. My head started spinning, it was all becoming very real. Fortunately Mike and Marion wanted to show us the garden and so we quickly left the room again!
After leaving the foster carers, we went to (you guessed it!) an all-you-can-eat carvery pub to meet the adoptive parents (Gary and Joan) of our boys' half brother (Josh). We were nervous about this too. Part of the adoption arrangements is that we will have direct contact with Josh at least once a year, as well as sending Christmas/birthday presents. By adopting our boys, we're also gaining a sort of extended family, so we wanted this first meeting to go well!
It did, they were absolutely lovely. They are completely in love with their son and that was lovely to see. As they had fostered Josh while our boys were with Mike and Marion (sorry, hope you can keep up!) they knew the birth family well from contacts. It was really helpful to be able to get more information, especially from people who are adopting a child from the same home as we are. We were disappointed to hear last week that we probably won't be meeting with birth mother; but we are glad we will always have Gary and Joan to fill in gaps. As the boys get older I hope they will see Mike and Marion as an uncle and aunt, and that they'll be able to chat to them about their birth family.
Somehow the boys were at nursery when we were due to go. We're still not sure how it happened, but we're so glad it did! People keep asking me how it felt to see them, and I just don't know. My first reaction was to turn around and run away. I felt like I'd give it all away if they saw me, or that we'd get into trouble. Fortunately my husband was behind me so I couldn't, and we kept walking towards the door. I tried not to look at the boys, it felt like I wasn't allowed to! But I couldn't help myself, especially as our youngest had stopped scootering and was staring right at us as if he knew! My head was spinning, my ears were ringing, I felt like I couldn't breathe.
I'm not sure how we got inside, but we did. And as soon as we did I burst into tears. I was so confused how that had just happened, and so overwhelmed. Kate apologised and checked we were OK, then she let us sneak around a corner where we could watch them playing for a few minutes! They were the most wonderful few minutes. Somehow, we stopped looking and composed ourselves. We still had to sit through a meeting with the boys' key workers.
My head was still spinning, and sitting at a tiny table on tiny chairs drinking water out of pink, plastic wine glasses didn't help the situation – it all felt a bit Alice in Wonderland! Fortunately Kate asked lots of questions while I mostly sat stunned. To be honest, I can't really remember what we talked about, but we took photos with the key workers so we could tell the boys this story one day!
Finally, we drove to the hospital to meet the doctor who has done regular medical checks on the boys since entering care. she was another lovely person, and so helpful! She explained a lot of things very thoroughly, but in a way we could understand. One of the boys may need a simple procedure, and the decision was due to be made the week of introductions, so she was able to advise us on this. We were so grateful to have this meeting, it was really valuable. But it was also the end of a very strange day, and my husband kept dropping off! As we were saying goodbye, she told us she would be on the Matching Panel! I asked her if she would please say yes, and she said OK! That made me feel a lot better!
Well, that was a long post about a long day. We came home feeling more sure that these were our children, and with their faces in the playground etched on our hearts.
N.B. I have changed everybody's names!
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."


text:
Dystrichothorax storeyi is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Psydrinae. It was described by Baehr in 2004.

References

storeyi
Beetles described in 2004

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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It's our philosophy that you can stay as long as you want, hang out and play games. We won't kick you out just to turn a table, we aren't in this to make the big bucks…we're here for you!
We are run by our online community. Over 20,000 people communicate with us every week about their ideas, and we do our best to make them happen. From the food we serve to the drinks we mix – the community has guided us the entire time.
What that has guided us too is exemplary food quality, amazing theme nights, a drink menu with over 100 custom cocktails. We are passionate about making visiting AFK an experience you won't forget. We are also more than happy to provide each geek a special time fit for your needs. Have a gluten free need or other alergy? Let your server know! Want a reservation for 30 for your Jedi theme bar mitzvah? Chuck us an Email!
So who are we? We're gamers. Nerds. Geeks. We're AFK, We're a Geek bar! And we're okay with that.
AFK Tavern has been rocking for just about 9 years now. We'd love if you joined us!


text:
Q: Why do I need to constantly renew my Google Auth Access Token? In Php, I'm using the Gmail API to read and remove mails from a generic email address.
It's running perfectly but I always need (several times per day) to regenerate a new access token to give access to my script to the mail box, why ?
I have specified an Approval Prompt on "force" which is supposed to work forever.
Last point, I'm using the Google client library with composer (google/apiclient version 2.0)
Here is my Php code:
private function getClient()
{
    $client = new \Google_Client();
    $client->setApplicationName('My app');
    $client->setScopes(\Google_Service_Gmail::MAIL_GOOGLE_COM);
    $configPath = CONFIG . 'client_secret_123456790.apps.googleusercontent.com.json';
    $client->setAuthConfig($configPath);
    $client->setApprovalPrompt('force');
    $client->setIncludeGrantedScopes(true);
    $client->setLoginHint('email@example.com');
    $client->setAccessType('offline');
    $client->setPrompt('consent');

    $tokenPath = CONFIG . 'token.json';
    if (file_exists($tokenPath)) {
        $accessToken = json_decode(file_get_contents($tokenPath), true);
        $client->setAccessToken($accessToken);
    }

    // If there is no previous token or it's expired.
    if ($client->isAccessTokenExpired()) {
        // Refresh the token if possible, else fetch a new one.
        if ($client->getRefreshToken()) {
            $client->fetchAccessTokenWithRefreshToken($client->getRefreshToken());
        } else {
            return false;
        }
        // Save the token to a file.
        if (!file_exists(dirname($tokenPath))) {
            mkdir(dirname($tokenPath), 0700, true);
        }
        file_put_contents($tokenPath, json_encode($client->getAccessToken()));
    }
    return $client;
}

A:
It's running perfectly but I always need (several times per day) to regenerate a new access token to give access to my script to the mail box, why ?

Access tokens are only valid for one hour this is standard for Oauth.  You are requesting off line access so there for have a refresh token which can be used to request a new access token from the authencation server.

I have specified an Approval Prompt on "force" which is supposed to work forever.

If you include approval Prompt on "force" in your request then it will force the user to login again and grant your application consent to the scopes.  I have no idea where you got the idea that this cause it to work for ever.
Oauth2
You are using oauth2 access tokens expire after one hour using offline access will give you a refresh token which you can store and use to request a new access token when ever your access token expires
You appear to have implemented this already If its not working i sugest you check that the code is being hit and that you have not lost the refresh token somehow.
$client->fetchAccessTokenWithRefreshToken($client->getRefreshToken());

storing the refresh token
I cant find anywhere in your code that you are saving the refresh token When you authenticate the user the first time.  You will get a refresh token back you should store this in a file somewhere then you can use it to create a new access token the next time you run your script
$client->fetchAccessTokenWithRefreshToken("TokenFromFile");

The refresh token is only returned the first time the user authenticates your application or when you add approval prompt force.  There should be no reason to over write this token unless you haven't used it for more than six months.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
package sarama

type DeleteAclsRequest struct {
	Filters []*AclFilter
}

func (d *DeleteAclsRequest) encode(pe packetEncoder) error {
	if err := pe.putArrayLength(len(d.Filters)); err != nil {
		return err
	}

	for _, filter := range d.Filters {
		if err := filter.encode(pe); err != nil {
			return err
		}
	}

	return nil
}

func (d *DeleteAclsRequest) decode(pd packetDecoder, version int16) (err error) {
	n, err := pd.getArrayLength()
	if err != nil {
		return err
	}

	d.Filters = make([]*AclFilter, n)
	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
		d.Filters[i] = new(AclFilter)
		if err := d.Filters[i].decode(pd, version); err != nil {
			return err
		}
	}

	return nil
}

func (d *DeleteAclsRequest) key() int16 {
	return 31
}

func (d *DeleteAclsRequest) version() int16 {
	return 0
}

func (d *DeleteAclsRequest) requiredVersion() KafkaVersion {
	return V0_11_0_0
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Hundreds of Fully Licensed Stock Images to Use at NO Additional Cost with Many Designer Templates to Choose From...or Build from Scratch.
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I have been involved in a number of website builds over the years. I have found Earthgrid's Eclipse website platform to be the most user friendly and intuitive to use. Plus, having Vik and his team there to help when I get stuck, just saves so much time and hassle. As a physician and health coach my joy is helping my clients on their journeys to optimal wellness. Vik is my secret weapon for navigating the tech side of my business, so I can focus on what I do best.
Want https:// on your website for better security and search rankings? You need a TLS certificate. Includes a full setup, DNS and optional upgrade to the PRO design tools.


Headlines are tricky little devils. Whether you're writing them for an article or a PPC landing page, they can carry your campaign to glory or bury it forever.
We gathered some theory on writing great headlines from our sister company, MarketingExperiments, and capped it off with five tips from our editors and a useful process for improving results.
Picture your ideal customer deciding where to spend his time and energy. He wants something good for his investment. A headline that emphasizes something "valuable" to him gets his attention. He'll invest a click and continue reading.
Your headline is "selling" your next paragraph and you need to make a good offer (also known as a proposition). Researchers at MECLABS, our parent company, evaluate the power of a value proposition through four attributes. You can use these same attributes to create and evaluate headlines.
Appeal – How attractive is the headline to your ideal customer?
You emphasize the appeal of what you have to offer by showing the benefit it provides, not by listing a product name or summarizing the article.
Relevance is part of appeal. Your headline has to convey information that is relevant to the person reading it. For example, a headline emphasizing a dress shoe would not appeal to a person shopping for basketball shoes.
Credibility – How believable is the headline?
If your headline makes an outlandish claim like "Earn $10,000,000 in Your Spare Time," then people will put their guard up. They will not click the email, continue reading the page, or respond to your offer. They will leave.
Even if you're making a legitimate claim, if it seems too good to be true, then you should tone it down or support it with a nearby credibility indicator, such as a subhead, seal, or other form of support. If people feel like they can't trust you (even if they really can), they'll never convert.
Exclusivity – Can anyone else claim to have what is offered in the headline?
Great products and great content offer something unique and valuable. Your headline should show people that you want to give them something that only you can provide.
If you have something your ideal customer wants, and only you have it, be sure to mention that in the headline. It will get people's attention and get them interested. Just make sure you can back it up in the rest of your copy, or you'll run into a problem with point #2 – credibility.
Clarity – How easily can the reader understand the headline?
Headlines should not use obscure jargon or be difficult to understand. The topic and the value should jump off the screen.
This is a random grab bag of useful stuff. Some of it is based on rigorous, scientific research from MECLABS. Some if it is based on the experience of our editors. They're not the Laws of the Universe, just helpful ideas.
Your headline will have one word or phrase that conveys more value than the others. Try to put this phrase in the beginning. If you can't, try putting it at the end.
The worst approach, says Dr. Flint McGlaughlin, CEO and Managing Director, MECLABS, is to bury the phrase in the middle. Readers will invest in the first few words. If they don't find something valuable, then you've lost them.
Google provides a free tool that will accept your keyword and return a list of related words and their search volumes. This can act as a living thesaurus, giving you ideas for different terms, and can reveal the terms people most often use when searching on the topic.
While this can be helpful, it can also be used and abused. Use this only to spark ideas. While SEO is important, you want to write headlines for people, not spiders.
Numbers – such as 10 Reasons, 94% higher return, etc.
Part of a headline's job is to summarize the most important information that someone is about to receive. Since it's hard to summarize something that doesn't exist, it is often easier to write a headline after you've written a draft.
If you've written a blog post or landing page, then welcome aboard, you're a writer. You are creative and gutsy, which means you have strange ideas and the gall to try them. If a witty turn of phrase just "feels right," then test it. Just make sure you don't sacrifice clarity and appeal for showboating.
Paul Cheney, Editorial Analyst, MECLABS, wrote a great two-part series on how to evaluate and improve headlines. If you find yourself stuck with a handful of duds, try walking through these steps (check Paul's blog posts for the details).
Great — I hope you find it helpful. Considering that I stole some of your content for this post, I think we're setting an excellent moral standard.
Excellent post – extrememly detailed and as written above, very useful.
Adam, I appreciate this post. As a new blogger, I've been learning fast and witnessed the explosive power that can come with good titles. Thanks!
Adam…thanks so much!!!! Like others…I printed it too…very valuable information especially for starters like me.
Thanks guys — I hope the piece helps you boost results.
This is an excellent post Adam, and I am sharing with a lot of my clients and students.
This is very helpful. I'll be sending copies to my clients who struggle with this issue.
Excellent tips to write Killer Headlines. I'll certainly share this with my peeps 🙂 I especially love your Killer Headline Checklist: appeal, credibility, exclusivity and clarity.
I had a good laugh. Thanks for sharing.


One of our favorite car-collectors, funnyman Jay Leno recently got his hands on a brand-spanking-new 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for a few days courtesy of GM, and naturally awesome burnout prevailed.
As seen above in the video from "Jay Leno's Garage", Leno schools his guest country-star Brad Paisley in the fine art of the burnout. With the new ZL1's awesome line-lock feature, this shouldn't be to hard right?
After the first failed attempt by Paisley, things sorted out exactly the way they were supposed to with big white clouds of smoke, screaming tires, and intoxing rumbles from the LT4 powerplant.
As a refresher, the new Camaro ZL1 packs 650hp and 650lb-ft of torque from its supercharged 6.2-litre V8.


text:
Day 214: American TV in Panama
After such an eventful night in Panama City, we were slow to get moving the next day. Which was fine, because we didn't have any place to be until the afternoon when we were catching a flight to Bocas del Toro.
Ahead of our trip, I wanted us to leave on the 7am flight, but Maribeth thought it'd be better for us to leave later, knowing that we'd be celebrating her birthday the night before. When I woke up on Day 214, I'd never been so thankful to not get my way in my life.
When we'd first arrived in Panama days earlier, we'd found a television station that played reruns of popular American television shows like Seinfeld, Friends and Beverly Hills, 90210. We'd leave it on in the background when we were waking up and when we were getting ready, but until Day 214, hadn't really invested a lot of time into watching the network.
At the risk of revealing to you the ugly Americans we are, I'd never been so happy to lie in my air conditioned hotel room and watch TV.
Day 214's thing I've never done before was to watch an episode of Felicity. In Panama.
So maybe watching a stupid American television show wasn't the best way to soak up the culture of Central America. But I really didn't feel bad about it at all. In fact, our ability to waste this much time cooped up in our hotel room was, in my opinion, the greatest thing about traveling for so long.
I especially didn't feel bad because Felicity, I found out, is awesome. Attractive people in unrealistic scenarios, talking to each other in dialogue that no human ever uses, story lines so heart wrenching that crying at some point during every episode is nearly required. What's not to like?
Felicity is played by that girl that looks like the Noxzema girl, but isn't. The episode we watched took place on Thanksgiving in New York City where Felicity and her friends go to college. Only they don't live in dorms, they live in these insane New York City apartments. And they don't get sloppy drunk and make bad decisions, at least not in this episode. And two of them are married to each other.
Felicity and a really good looking guy named Ben were in some sort of fight or something, and they were avoiding each other. We had to watch nearly the entire show to deduct that the two were dating, but Felicity had recently cheated on him. Ben decides, then, to show up to the Thanksgiving dinner thrown by the married couple with another girl and things get really awkward. Felicity storms out, and then Ben and other girl storm out. And then other girl realizes she's just the rebound girl so she leaves Ben standing on the side of the road. By the end of the episode, Felicity and Ben somehow end up back together and then everyone is weirded out about that.
The only thing that was remotely realistic about this show was that Felicity and Ben's way of making up with each other was to get busy. The rest of it: the fact that all of these college-aged people were eating Thanksgiving dinner together and not with their families, Ben's dramatic run to the airport to rescue Felicity, the constant introspective dialogue. That stuff never happens in real life. Or maybe it just never happens to me.
Midway through the drama Maribeth looked at me and asked me several times, "What's going on with her and that guy?"
"I don't know," I told her. "I've never seen this show before either."
"You don't know?!," she would yell from under her covers. "I want to know!"
These questions weren't just coming from her, though. I wanted to know each character's back story as well. Out of habit, we'd alternate asking each other questions like, "Now who is that guy?" or "Do those two date each other?" throughout the episode forgetting that neither of us knew anything about this show.
"How did we never watch this show when we were in college?"
Maybe because we were actually enjoying college. Real college. Where people show up in sweat pants to class, if they show up at all, drink cheap beer out of kegs and flippantly enter and exit relationships without a lot of dramatic conversation.
We hoped that when the hour-long episode was over we'd get another dose of Felicity to see what happened with her and Ben and maybe understand more of their history. But instead it was back to back episodes of Seinfeld that's we'd both seen several times before.
We were forced, then, to get up and get packed to leave.
Later that day, after milling around the 24-hour Panamanian grocery store near our hotel (something I've never done), we headed to the airport.
The airport we flew out of was a little building outside of the city. We arrived, checked in, and were given our tickets, which were plastic tablets that we had to hand back to the airline attendants waiting at the bottom of the stairs outside the plane before boarding.
When Maribeth and I flew to Vieques, Puerto Rico a couple of years ago (yes, she and I are like an old married couple, traveling as a pair), the airline attendant literally asked me how much I weighed so he could figure out how to balance everyone on the plane. As I opened my mouth to respond, Maribeth joked, "Now's not the time for vanity, Stephanie."
She knows me too well. We laughed, and then I told him how much I really weigh.
I expected that with this small plane they might do the same, but no one asked me how much I weighed. Instead, they just looked me over like I was a piece of meat and said, "Sit in the middle." Not exactly scientific, but we landed safely, so I'm assuming it works.
And just like that, the beach part of our vacation was underway. Maribeth and I were excited. Nervous about Felicity and Ben, but excited nonetheless.
Posted by Stephanie Gallman at 3:00 PM
Labels: Maribeth
Amanda Jul 8, 2010, 8:37:00 PM
How have you never seen Felicity!? That is the best show on earth - other than LOST and Gossip Girl, obviously.
Jessica Jul 8, 2010, 9:29:00 PM
I'm with Amanda on this one.. I suggest you add it to your Netflix que asap.
Melly Jul 8, 2010, 9:50:00 PM
did you never watch dawson's creek either? i mean, for real steph! ;)
Day 231: Yo Yo Yo Foria
Some Changes In the Home Stretch...
Day 230: Bayou Cooking School
Day 229: Am I in Hell?
Day 228: Line 'em Up, Take 'em Down
Day 227: All Juiced Up
Day 226: Raw Living
Day 225: Vacation Brain
Day 224: Produce-Only Shopping
Day 223: Classing Up the Place
Day 222: Do the Shuffle
Day 221: Oatmeal Scrub Down
Day 220: A Delightful Return
Day 219: !Digame! Servicio de Cuarto
Day 218: Operation Relaxation
Day 217: Life Lessons with Chapo
Day 216: A Kinda Cool Wrong Boat Tour
Day 215: Bocas Models/Bartenders/Headcases
Day 213: A Panama Triathlon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


@DFawkes yeah, now that I think about it, old Halo games were like that. Even then, it should still unlock any mission you have completed.
Just Cause, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD, and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 are coming to Xbox One Backward Compatibility today.
No one plays old games Ror!
Also, higher fidelity cutscenes are now confirmed.
For the love of God, when are the RalliSport games from the original XBox coming??????
Christ your username is a blast from the past!
They're part of the reason I have.... four original Xboxes.
I see talks of graphical improvements in FF13 for the X.
Yeah, literally just connected my old XB up to a new TV and been replaying a few old faves.
I'm sure we played on 360 together years and years ago ? but I might have that wrong.
Yeah I've been lurking more than posting lately but still keeping an eye on things lol.
And 16 years you say......crikey where did that go?
@D_arkTrooper I have one with a larger HDD & keep meaning to do another one with flashing the BIOS after watching Modern Vintage Gamer's excellent vid on it.
Saying that, when I eventually do get an Xbone you can bet I'll be making use of the BC!
Same here, I vaguely remember soft modding my original back in the day and fitting a new hard drive. There's probably a lot easier way of doing it now. Also swapped out the DVD drive later on cause it was getting a bit flakey. Still a great system even today. Didn't look so great on my old LG HDTV via component cables but looks great on my new one so got that and the PS3 connected up along with the current gen stuff. Got so many games I acquired but never played it's insane.
Is there a list of 360 games that have been 4K'd?
All original Xbox games are X-enhanced, whatever 360 games appear on this list are X-enhanced too.
Have they given up on OG Xbox games? It's been 7 months since the last batch.
I wonder if perhaps, seeing as we're getting Mercenaries free with Gold next month, they might start releasing them on the service rather than in batches.
Are we still staying tuned?!?


Churches often recognize a sermon that is preached, a meal that is served, a baptism that is performed, a Bible study that is led and other visible ministries. What often goes overlooked, though, is the ministry that so many faithful servants have with children, particularly preschool children. Children that age obviously don't think to thank their teachers and leaders. Most of the church never knows what goes on in the nursery and preschool room – how thankless the ministry can be, how exhausting it is, how few people volunteer to help, and how much time leaders spend preparing while knowing that most of the kids will pay little attention to the teacher's efforts.
Volunteers who work with our children and youth, though, really are the unsung heroes of the church. They are in the basement (both literally in our church building and figuratively), but their ministry is of a critically high calling. Praise God for them!
Marsha and Katie, for example, are with preschoolers every single Sunday morning during our Family Groups, at least one Sunday morning each month during worship, every Wednesday evening during adult prayer meeting and Bible study, and even many Sunday evenings during Life on Mission. In fact, not only do they do this as a ministry for the church, but they are also mothers to preschoolers.
Thank you, Marsha and Katie! You are true superheroes. Thank you to all the other superheroes in our church who dedicate time, energy and resources to minister to youth and children – Billy, Terri, James, Tammy, Cheryl, Doris, Jerry, Beverly, Devin, Tami, Robin and Jenika.
Next time you drop your kids off in the nursery, in a Sunday School room, or in the youth area, be sure to thank the leader(s). Then, when you go to pick up your children, be sure to thank the leader(s) again. Write them notes of encouragement. Make sure they realize how much you appreciate their sacrifice.
Of course, there are many thankless ministries in our church and in every church. We as a church family need to do a better job of showing our appreciation and encouraging those who serve the Lord by serving His church. "God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other" (1 Corinthians 12:24b-25).
Below are a few pictures from last Wednesday evening's TeamKID Preschool. While they might not express it now, these kids and others like them will one day look back with gratefulness for the amazing servants who invested in their spiritual development.
NOTE: This is a slightly shorter section from Pastor Nick's original post on DrakeCity.com.
Sherry Wentz liked this on Facebook.
Jenika Johnson liked this on Facebook.
Thank you to Marsha Drake, Katie Humphreys, Billy & Terri Stretton Hovey, Tammy & James Smiley, Cheryl Rohrbach, Jerry & Beverly Austin, Tami Anderson, Robin Rees-Love, Devin Bain, and Jenika Johnson! The kids of Richland (and the rest of us) are beyond blessed by your sacrificial service!
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text:
Research Visit Reports
Open Talks
Home » Members » Ho Shih Phin
Visit this members blog
Ho Shih Phin
New Era University College
Ho Shih Phin is a well-known theatre director with numerous works. He is the four time winner who won the title of Best Director at the Malaysia Chinese Theater ADA Drama award. He has been declared as a master storyteller in a comprehensive way both in context and technique, especially an expert in stage blocking. He cares about the links between people, society, the nation with theatre, and constantly relates to current issues through culture and humanity in his work. In 1993, he began to form a theater teaching committee with friends and committed to promote drama education in high school by running around the country to organize school camps and workshops. Since 2006, he became a lecturer at New Era University College to train and educate theatre professionals. He has been active in theatre more than 25 years and is also the Vice Chairman of the Drama Art Community Association.
The Asian TYA Network Members Blog is available to its members for the discussion of Theater for Young Audiences (TYA) in East and Southeast Asia.
ricca ricca*festa office
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381-2-2F Asato,
Naha, Okinawa 902-0067
WEB: www.riccariccafesta.com
Copyright © 2020. Asian TYA Network. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Q: Split text in text file into lines I need to split a text file into lines.
I imported the text file into python but print(readline()) prints the whole file.
with open('laxdaela_saga.en.txt', 'r+') as f:
    for line in f.readlines():
        print(line)

I eventually need to count unique words in the text file and other stats, but one step is to divide into lines. This is the step I'm dealing with.

A: You can use split() function of Python. It splits the given string into an array based on some pattern.
In your case, the pattern will be newline \n.
so split('\n') should do it.

A: Try this
with open('laxdaela_saga.en.txt', 'r+') as f:
    for line in f.readlines():
        x = line.split()
        print(x)

Hope this will be of your help.


Born in Daraga, Albay to a German father (Wolfgang Gersbach) and a Filipina mother (Marina Manuel) and raised in Angeles City, Pampanga, Gersbach was the second of three siblings. She was a management graduate of the University of Asia and the Pacific and had been managing a family German restaurant business in Bicol.
Melody, then aged 23, was crowned Binibining Pilipinas International 2009 on March 7, 2009. She was the second Bicolana beauty to hold a Binibining Pilipinas International title, the other one being the fellow Albayanon Georgina Anne de la Paz Sandico in 1999. Gersbach represented the Philippines in the 49th Miss International 2009 pageant on November 2009 in Macau, China, where she placed among the Top 15 Semi-Finalists.
Melody died in a car accident around 11 a.m. on August 21, 2010, when the Toyota Innova she was traveling in collided head-on with a Raymond passenger bus in Barangay Pawili in Bula, Camarines Sur.


text:
Activity, Early Learning and Picture Books
There's a Snake in My School! By David Walliams
New RRP £6,99
From Number One bestselling picture book duo, David Walliams and Tony Ross, comes this ssssspectacularly funny picture book for children of 3 and up.
There's a Snake in My School! Summary
Miranda loves to be different, and on Bring-your-pet-to-school Day she introduces everyone to her very DIFFERENT pet...
Penelope the snake.
Miss Bloat the headmistress doesn't think snakes should be allowed in school. But Penelope has other ideas...
Introducing a spectacularly slithery new picture book packed with mischief and mayhem from two superstars!
There's a Snake in My School! Reviews
PRAISE FOR WALLIAMS' PICTURE BOOKS:
"Pre-schoolers will roar with laughter" - Daily Express
"Part Aesop, part Spike Milligan... this is rollicking stuff" - Big Issue
"Funny and with brilliant illustrations... sure to be another bestseller" - The Sun
PRAISE FOR WALLIAMS:
"I absolutely love David Walliams's books. In a few more years they will become classics." - Sue Townsend, author of Adrian Mole
"Dahl finally has a worthy successor" - Telgraph
"Another triumph for David Walliams. His books are a breath of wonderful fresh air" - The Sun
About David Walliams
Born in London, Tony Ross went to art school in Liverpool. His cartoons have appeared in famous publications the world over. His first book, Hugo and the Wicked Winter, was published in 1972. Tony has since written over 100 books and illustrated over 2000! His creations Towser and The Little Princess have been turned into TV series.
David and Tony have worked on six bestselling picture books together, and nine of David's phenomenally successful children's novels. David and Tony also collaborated on the 2017 World Book Day title, BLOB, and on the blockbuster collections, The World's Worst Children 1, 2 and 3.
Customer Reviews - There's a Snake in My School!


text:
Search results for "Israel"
When Doug's father, an Air Force Pilot, is shot down by MiGs belonging to a radical Middle Eastern state, no one seems able to get him out. Doug finds Chappy,…
Country: Canada, Israel, USA
Genre: Action, Thriller, War
Victor Young Perez
Victor Perez was a Jewish boxer who became world flyweight champion in 1931 and 1932, but was transported to Auschwitz concentration camp when Paris fell to the Nazi s in…
Country: Bulgaria, France, Israel
A missing FBI agent reappears six years after being declared dead.
Country: Israel, USA
Saints Rest
A musical drama set in small-town Iowa, SAINTS REST tells the story of two estranged sisters, who over the course of one summer, form a connection through their shared love…
Genre: Drama, Music, Musical
A bridegroom is possessed by an unquiet spirit in the midst of his own wedding celebration, in this clever take on the Jewish legend of the dybbuk.
Country: Israel, Poland
In an unprecedented and candid series of interviews, six former heads of the Shin Bet — Israel's intelligence and security agency — speak about their role in Israel's decades-long counterterrorism…
Country: France, Israel
After his brother Robeson disappears without a trace while exploring Africa in search of a legendary 'white tribe', Allan Quatermain decides to follow in his footsteps to learn what became…
More than two decades after catapulting to stardom with The Princess Bride, Robin Wright decides to take her final job: preserving her likeness for a future Hollywood. Through a deal…
Country: Belgium, France, Germany, Israel, Luxembourg, Poland, USA
Genre: Animation, Drama, Science Fiction
The Delta Force
A 707 aircraft jetliner on its way from Athens to Rome and then to New York City is hijacked by Lebanese terrorists. The terrorists demand that the pilot take them…
A tough-on-crime street cop must protect the only surviving witness to a strange murderous cult with far reaching plans.
In 1965, three Mossad agents cross into East Berlin to apprehend a notorious Nazi war criminal. Thirty years later, the secrets the agents share come back to haunt them.
Country: Hungary, Israel, UK, USA
Ajami is an area of Tel Aviv in Israel where Arabs, Palestinians, Jews and Christians live together in a tense atmosphere. Omar, an Israeli Arab, struggles to save his family…
Country: Germany, Israel
A beautifully affecting love story that has rightly earned comparisons to Brokeback Mountain, Haim Tabakman's potent yet impeccably restrained tale has won awards and accolades at film festivals the world…
Country: France, Germany, Israel
A Matter of Size
Four overweight friends from the Israeli city of Ramle are fed up of dieting and the dieting club they belong to. When Herzl (155 kilos), the main protagonist, loses his…
Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World
This ninety-minute film takes audiences on an epic journey across nine countries and over 1,400 years of history. It explores themes such as the Word, Space, Ornament, Color and Water…
Country: India, Israel, Mali, Spain, Syria, Turkey, USA
Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus
A debate rages over the credibility of the Bible. Most archaeologists today have concluded that there's no evidence that the Exodus of Israelite slaves from Egypt ever happened. Filmmaker Timothy…
Country: Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Netherlands, UK, USA
The movie is a post-apocalyptic horror/science fiction film. the setting is in a near post apocalyptic future where a biological warfare program goes wrong, and turns most of humanity to…
Country: Israel
A family that survives the genocide in Indonesia confronts the men who killed one of their brothers.
Country: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, UK, USA
Rabin in His Own Words
20 years after his assassination, Yitzhak Rabin himself tells his dramatic life story.
Finding Noah
A group of intrepid explorers go on a journey of discovery and excitement as they climb and live atop a 17,000ft mountain in Eastern Turkey to conduct a scientific expedition…
Country: Argentina, Armenia, Israel, Peru, Turkey, UK, USA
Na'ama is seventeen. She lives in a sleepy suburbia. She is bored. With detached parents and a rebellious older sister, her life at home is a mess. It all changes…
When Eyal finishes the week of mourning for his late son, his wife urges him to return to their routine but instead he gets high with a young neighbor and…
Down the Deep, Dark Web
What do you know about the Darknet? Silk Road, hitmen for hire and outlets for the most depraved aspects of human behaviour? This film delves beyond this notoriety to reveal…
Thomas, a young German baker, is having an affair with Oren, an Israeli married man who has frequent business visits in Berlin. When Oren dies in a car crash in…
Eager to impress the Queen of Sheeba, a young Solomon accidentally releases the devil Asmodeus from his prison. With the Kingdom of Jerusalem in peril, Solomon and Princess Naama work…
Genre: Animation, History
Erin Bell is an LAPD detective who, as a young cop, was placed undercover with a gang in the California desert with tragic results. When the leader of that gang…
Itzhak
From Schubert to Strauss, Bach to Brahms, Mozart to…Billy Joel, Itzhak Perlman's violin playing transcends mere performance to evoke the celebrations and struggles of real life. Director Alison Chernick's (The…
The Golem
A re-imagining of the old mystical folklore that follows a woman and a tight-knit Jewish community that is besieged by foreign invaders. She conjures a dangerous creature to protect them…
A woman must fly back to her hometown when her Alzheimer's-stricken mother wanders into a blizzard. The return home forces her to confront her past.
The film captures the daily duality of three young Palestinian women in Tel Aviv, caught between hometown tradition and big city abandon, and the price they must pay for a…
When a pair of estranged Israeli sisters—one who stayed at the childhood home to care for their debilitated father, the other who left for a new life in Tel Aviv—are…
Russell Crowe stars as Detective Cristofuoro, a semi-retired police officer who is trying to unravel the past to discover whether a violent teenager, Eric Poole (Jon Foster), was responsible for…
A sociopathic kidnapper methodically pushes a desperate pair of parents to their absolute breaking point.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
When a couple of American young adults fly to Israel to visit the city of Jerusalem, a biblical nightmare falls upon the city


As a designer, Im always on the lookout for great new products that I can experiment with. Thats why Im so excited about Hot Off The Press new sarabinders!
sarabinders are easy and totally functionaland did I mention addictive? I sat down to think about all the ways I could use them, and the list went on and on! I was dying to make one for grocery lists and coupons, one to use as an address book, a home decorating journal to keep paint chips and swatches, a favorite fonts book, a quote book, a calendar, a recipe book, a CD holder, a sketchbook, and, of course, a handmade scrapbookthere are endless possibilities!
The surface of a sarabinder is perfect for customizing with paint, ink and paper so I can add my own personal flair to each and every project. One of my favorite things to do is paint the surface, then cover the front with a cool patterned paper and snazzy embellishments. Slide mounts and ribbons make great sarabinder embellishments because they can be glued flat to the binders surface. I also like to use tags, alphabet tiles and stickers, or even a photo to really personalize each binder.
Dont forget about the great inserts! You can get everything from lined papers to address book papers, from manila dividers to fun, brightly colored pockets and envelopes. Use them as is, or decorate them to coordinate with the front of your binder. Use ribbons, brads, slide mounts, tags, stickers, stampsyou name it!
sarabinders are so user friendly, too! Theyre fun to make, reasonably priced, and they dont take much time to design and embellish. I can choose the inserts that I want to add depending on my personal preference and the intended use of the binder. And think of how special it would be to give a handmade sarabinder to a friend as a functional gift thats from the heart, personally designed just for the recipient!


When it comes to purchasing a product like a mattress that we are too utilized to going to the shop and also purchase, we often tend to be hesitant often. Right here are some of the points that you require to understand prior to you buy mattress online.
Are you searching for mattress sales to offer your bed a brand-new life? Well, the cushion industry is all about simple things stood for in rather Lazery Sleep Mattress storecomplicated manner. It is good to know that mattress sales are getting extra and much more constant. Actually, a few of the leading manufacturers use routine bargains on regular and also minimal time items. These mattress sales are appropriate for every person. For vendors, these sales bring a great deal of marketing and some fast money circulation. Whereas in customer's viewpoint – mattress sales come with unequaled cost savings and customers seeking budget products even, in some cases find it feasible to earn a better and also quality purchase. Being a client and also particularly the one who is out on a very essential goal of buying a bed mattress Lazery Sleep Mattress store – you ought to keep yourself stick with some principals. Constantly, believe before you click the "order" switch as today' s advertising and marketing strategies are type of traps. Following are a couple of, general standards for individuals that will buy bed linen products.
Hundreds of research' s have actually currently concluded that rest is extremely crucial to our physical as well as psychological health and wellbeing. Thus, you have to be really careful while buying anything from mattress sales. Trusted names typically do not put their name as well as company at threat for producing even more by marketing poor or obsolete items.
Well, never ever buy an unsuitable mattress just since it is being offered at a price a lot lesser compared to its routine price. These kind of bed mattress suits those that like to rest on their sides. These bed mattress are known to be much better for sleepers that like to sleep on their back or belly.
Again, you have to deal extremely thoroughly right here as it refers your sleep or sleeplessness. We are not right here to inhibit small ones in business. Remaining aligned with substantial brands could constantly be taken into consideration as a secure method to go. Large names gained all their fame as well as magnificence by spending enormous efforts as well as resources. However, trying something new for a couple of days as well as specifically when items are offered with cost-free tests, is not a negative suggestion.
Well, by type we could classify them right into three different groups. The memory foam cushion comes on the leading as they are the most preferred ones. These cushions supply a long lifespan, they are offered at a competitive price, as well as their toughness scores are way far better than their equivalents. Lazery Sleep Mattress store The 2nd kind of bed mattress we intend to state here is called Latex Foam. They are additionally preferred in offline and online markets. You can discover latex foam's natural as well as artificial variations. They come consisting of on a poly foam base whereas their core consists of several latex layers to give sleepers with even more comfort. Right here comes the 3rd and the last main kind of cushions. You can call it either innerspring cushion or spring cushion directly. These were extremely common in the USA as well as Europe. The innerspring cushions come furnished with mechanical springs to offer the customer with kind of a lift. Today's generation has actually started disliking innerspring bed mattress. We all understand, our behaviors are transforming with the passage of time. Being components of an internet-based culture, we now have brand-new concerns to address, as well as our way of living is bringing changes in our rest habits also.
Since you understand purchasing a cushion online will not make you be sorry for at the end, let's see the points you can do it make your decision as much better as possible. To begin with, it is extremely vital that you are clearly mindful of the sort of item you are seeking. Everyone has their very own design of sleeping. There are bed mattress which are much better for back sleepers compared to side sleepers. Then there are some which would certainly treat someone with a tight back better. Know specifically just what you are opting for, and also after that start surfing for the mattress that would certainly match all your demands. Otherwise, you are most likely to obtain sidetracked by all the alternatives you will certainly see and also wind up getting something that clearly does not fit you, your requirements or your way of living.
As stated above as well, among the largest benefits of online buying is the accessibility to thousands of customer reviews. If the users are validated, the possibilities are that they would go over extra the weak points of an item that its good factors– this is all-natural for us people and also it fantastic for you as a new buyer to remove the products that do not match you. Check out a minimum of 20 testimonials by previous users before you make the decision. The more reviews you can check out the much better. There are rare possibilities that an item is a whole lot better compared to just what it has actually been described by the individuals, but a lot of the time if the reviews are qualified, it would certainly offer you a fantastic understanding right into the experience of utilizing the mattress that you can not get from anywhere else.


text:
The Big Picture: Filmmaking Lessons From a Life on the Set
(Thomas Dunne Books, 256 pages, $25.95)
By Tom Reilly
Assistant director Tom Reilly started as a DGA trainee on Woody Allen's Stardust Memories in 1979 and worked with Allen for the next 16 years up until Mighty Aphrodite. Since then, he's worked with Taylor Hackford, James Toback and James Foley, among others, acquiring a depth of knowledge and experience that makes The Big Picture, his guide to working both on- and off-set, one of the most valuable books of its kind. Unlike many similar volumes, this one feels like a labor of love, a lifetime's experience generously distilled into practical advice for assistant directors—tyros and old hands alike.
Reilly starts with the vocabulary of the set, moving on to the perils and rewards of location versus studio shooting, the vicissitudes of chang-ing light, working in awkward locations, period shoots, and setting back-ground performers. Re-garding the banes of the ADs existence such as actors who prefer to block their own shots, he says "actors should act, directors should block." He also thinks small, listing the kinds of things an AD should never have to go home and fetch mid-shoot. Reilly keeps everything in his trunk from actors' sides to call sheets, sunscreen, maps, power bars, fisherman's waders for river shots, even a wet suit—you never can tell, he says, so bring everything.
A chapter on choosing a great cinematographer is especially illuminating in analyzing how the look of Allen's movies changed with every new cinematographer from Gordon Willis' visual austerity and tableau setups to Carlo Di Palma's more questing, fluidly mobile camera, and Sven Nykvist's Bergman-influenced respect for the close-up as facial landscape. Throughout the book, Reilly conveys a sense of being in the room with his directors, and his clear, unadorned prose should forewarn and forearm any newbie stepping on set for the first time.
Review written by John Patterson.
The best of new publications by, for, and about directors, their teams and the industry.
See more articles from Books
Hooked on Hitch
As this Taschen volume makes clear, the Master of Suspense remains appealing to cineastes young and old, with 50-plus features underscoring his timeless ingenuity.
Hollywood's Forgotten Master Gets His Due
Author Gwenda Young makes the case that from the silent era to the golden age, Clarence Brown deserves a place among the giants.
Lubitsch's Timeless Appeal
Director Ernst Lubitsch, who was idolized by Wilder and Welles, is brought into sharp focus.
The making of George Stevens' Texas-sized epic is recounted in Don Graham's meticulously chronicled book.
Kubrick's Napoleon Complex
Lost Epic
As the newly scaled down yet no less comprehensive Taschen book Stanley Kubrick's Napoleon: The Greatest Movie Never Made demonstrates, Kubrick was nothing if not a completist.
Books: Two Cheers for Hollywood: Joseph McBride on Movies
Joseph McBride
Joseph McBride, who has written magisterial biographies on John Ford, Frank Capra and Steven Spielberg, has put together a collection of his journalistic work through the decades.
Books: From I Love Lucy to Shogun…and Beyond: Tales from the Other Side of the Camera
Jerry London and Rhonda Collier
There's a sense of déjà vu in Jerry London's assessment of the smallscreen landscape when miniseries became all the rage.
View the Summer 2009 Issue
By not listening to traditional industry wisdom about how things should be done, Tyler Perry has invented his own brand of comedy-as well as his own brand.
Being Hal Ashby: Life of a Hollywood Rebel
Nick Dawson
Finally a biography of Hal Ashby, who made a series of remarkable movies during the 1970s before falling into disfavor and dying at 59. Ashby is the lost man of the Hollywood Renaissance.
Who's Minding the Kids?
AD's and Child Actors
Child actors working on TV comedies just want to have fun. It's the 1st and 2nd ADs who make sure they get the job done.
Shawn Shea
Natural-Born AD
A veteran of Home Improvement and One Day at a Time, this 1st AD has had almost as many yucks behind the camera as when the red light went on.
Comedy Talk
Sitcom Roundtable
The Quarterly brings together six of the most accomplished sitcom directors to discuss the creative and commercial side of making funny shows.
David Lean: Interviews
Steve Organ
In these interviews, well chosen by editor Steven Organ, Lean also addresses the perceived divide between his early, intimate British work and his later, expansive inter-national epics.
The Boy Can't Help It
John Waters rhapsodizes about The Girl Can't Help It, and is not shy (surprise) talking about what he "stole" from it.


The Twilight Sad's output as of late, though steeped in undeniable skill and indulgence, has felt as though it was holding something back. While lush, immersive records like 2012's No One Can Ever Know and 2014's Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave boasted memorable songcraft, they weren't able to match the emotional rawness of the Scottish noise rock band's unassailable debut, 2007's Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters. That is, until now. With It Won/t Be Like This All the Time, the group's first album following drummer and founding member Mark Devine's departure and the death of friend of the band Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit, The Twilight Sad are done smoothing over their rough edges.
What truly makes The Twilight Sad so indelibly captivating is the infectious and entrancing sound they are able to forge on each and every one of their endearing songs. From the unhinged, explosive "Girl Chewing Gum" to the bewitching, cool-toned "Let/s Get Lost," the band possess the uncanny ability to make each statement feel at once wholly original and inexplicably universal. With the pounding, guitar-driven accusation "Shooting Dennis Hopper Shooting," they craft a powerful mood piece that fills its racing choruses from all four corners. A true testament to this gripping sonic wave is "I/m Not Here [missing face]," an ever-changing sampler of the band's impressive range, as a hushed confessional bleeds seamlessly into a relentless dance hall anthem. Imaginative tracks like "Auge/Maschine" carry a tingling kinetic energy that feels less like they were deliberately written than captured in the wild and placed on display for the world to consume.
At a certain point, It Won/t Be Like This All the Time is simply beyond logical or even emotional explanation. The album becomes altogether spiritual, cementing The Twilight Sad amongst some of the genre's most stirring acts. With its spellbinding vulnerability and winsome melodies, It Won/t Be Like This All the Time sets the bar incredibly high for a follow-up.


A native Vancouverite who grew up slaving in the cities bustling restaurant scene. She's worked with some of the cities best chefs from Hawksworth, Andrea Carlson of Burdock & Co, Wildebeests Jacob Deacon-Evans, Campagnolo's chef Ted Anderson. Her sommelier studies were under the wise Barb Phillips (Master of Wine). In the vineyards, she happily nursed the vines of Venturi-Schulze Winery to complete her wine training. She is a member of the Vancouver Mycological society and has been running wild mushroom foraging trips and cooking classes for 6 years. Swallow Tail was created to unite these passions; cooking, drinking, foraging, friends and the great outdoors. Chef Robin has been interviewed on the Food Network with Bob Blummer, CBC with Steven Quinn, Montecristo Magazine, Vancouver Magazine, the Huffington Post, Conde Nast Traveller and the Globe and Mail.
Swallow Tail's underground dining events incorporate star chefs from around Vancouver to create our menus and events.
We are always looking for more chefs and culinary creatives to collaborate with, shoot us an email at info@swallowtail.ca to get the conversation started.


A 32 year old Glen Grant that was distilled on 28th November 1984. It spent 31 years in a refill ex-Bourbon barrel and then was finished in a 1st fill American oak PX hogshead for another year. One of 185 bottles. Old & Dignified flavour profile.
Nose: Pronounced, fragrant and floral. Initial sweetness from toffee and caramel is bolstered by richly spiced ginger cake and creamy cinnamon buns. Stone fruits like nectarines and peaches and joined with rosewater and Turkish delight as we start to shift into a more floral arena. Once there, we're greeted with freshly cut flowers – roses, hyacinths and violas. Water brings out greener aromas of nettles, flax and hemp.
Taste: A warming and coating arrival which brings with it peach tart, creamy fudge, toffee and some freshly made tea. Florals are still present and are joined with some damp soil and wet hay. The addition of water enhances the floral flavours further with rose being particularly pronounced. It also brings heightened woodiness from sandalwood.
I can only imagine that this Glen Grant was found to be in a somewhat inactive cask to warrant a rerack into PX for an additional year of maturation. It has largely worked with pleasant toffee and bakery notes joined by inherent perfumed florals and some cask influenced darker and sweeter notes. This said, blind you'd probably not peg this as a 32 year old whisky – there's a lot less wood and mature flavours than you might expect.


Jonathan Schwartz is the host of "The Jonathan Channel," WNYC's 24/7 online music stream devoted to the Great American Songbook. The channel is an unparalleled showcase for this timeless music, presented by its strongest advocate, Schwartz, in his intimate and original approach that combines impeccable taste with personal tales, colorful anecdotes and encyclopedic knowledge. Tune in anytime to hear the sounds of Sinatra, Nelson Riddle, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, as well as the next generation of American standards performers, including Diana Krall, Michael Bublé, Michael Feinstein, Jane Monheit, and Nancy LaMott, among many others. Jonathan also hosts two shows on WNYC highlighting the American Songbook, on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon on 93.9 FM.
This afternoon event brings the spirit of Jonathan's weekly radio broadcasts to the stage. Schwartz will host the event in his uniquely personal and spontaneous way, featuring performances and conversation with The John Pizzarelli Quartet, Jessica Molaskey, Tierney Sutton, Cyrille Aimée, and Tony DeSare.


Breaking News: Free 'healthy' food for fast-food receipts... One of the nation's largest recipe-kit delivery services is betting that thousands of new customers will bite.
We've Done the Tasting & Testing. Now Choosing is Easy!
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MDR's "Our Score" is weighted based on the importance of each factor then combines them into one objective easy to understand score. Our scoring system was developed so you can spend your time doing the things you love rather than spending hours comparing meal delivery providers.
Cooking food should be fun, easy, and satisfying! Meal delivery programs definitely help provide that experience but it's important you choose the right provider when getting started. We know that your peers are always a great source of decisions making information which is why we've built a customer scoring system into our overall company rating.
All of the providers reviewed here on MealDeliveryReviewer.com invite real customers to enter their feedback if they've used the service. Our "User Score" takes into account all customer feedback and scores and provides an average of all customer ratings from 1-10.
To give even more consideration to customer feedback, the "User Score" is calculated into MDR's overall company rating and impacts the score positively or negatively depending on real customer experience.


Staff are cooperative and cheerful.but room is small and the prices was high.
The parking lot was conveniently placed next to the hotel and reasonably priced.
I liked the location close to Market St, Muni and BART were close by. Powell St and cable cars, Westfield Mall are just a block away.
Good location right next to Powell Street BART station and the Westfield Shopping centre and in easy walking distance of many restaurants and bars. The bed was large and very comfortable.
It's one of the cheapest acceptable clean hotels available that's so close to city centre.
Location...convenient to travel around the bay areas.
Small, cozy room with comfortable beds, friendly staff, and great location (especially for tourists). The building is a lovely restored 1930s building if you're looking for something with a little character. Coffee and tea are offered in the mornings which is a nice touch.
It is nice to stay speaclly for shopping at SFo downtown.
Hotel Metropolis This rating is a reflection of how the property compares to the industry standard when it comes to price, facilities and services available. It's based on a self-evaluation by the property. Use this rating to help choose your stay!
Located within 10 minutes' walk of Union Square and 1 minutes' walk to the Powell Street Cable Car line, this urban San Francisco hotel features a library.
This San Francisco hotel offers a concierge staff for transportation, dinner and ticket reservations. Free tea and coffee are available in the library. Laundry and dry cleaning facilities are located on site.
Fisherman's Wharf is 10 minutes' drive from this hotel. With attractions such as the Asian Art Museum, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and San Francisco City Hall, Civic Center Plaza is just 0.6 mi away. San Francisco International Airport is 30 minutes' drive from Hotel Metropolis.
Please contact hotel directly when booking more than 5 rooms. No more than 5 rooms may be booked by one person, and individual names for each room are required prior to check-in. Pre-payment and cancellation policies may be different for groups of more than 5 rooms.
All room rates are subject to applicable taxes, per room, per night.
On-site parking is available and nightly parking charges apply. Extra charges apply for SUVs, minivans and over-sized vehicles.
Small room. Not place to unpack our suitcases and put clothes in drawers. There was desk, but don't need a desk. TV problems in the rooms. Moved when we got there to another room because TV didn't work. Also the next room the TV didn't work properly.
A liitle bit noisy at night time.
The cleaning lady knock on my door at 9am and 11am. Claiming that she didnt know theres someone inside. There was so many homeless people around the premise. And quite a few suspicious people standing around. You better be back early if you are alone.
The room was very nice.. And location is very convenient to Powell Station..
Very small bedroom. Not a pleasant area, lots of gangs, drugs and homeless outside on the street. We were a group of 6 so it was fine. However might not be pleasant for people on their own or couples.
Location was nice and close to shopping district. Price was cheap. Staff were very helpful. Hotel was okay, had the basics that you would expect.
The location was borderline a bad area of town. The room was very small and unfurnished, the carpet old and smelly. The window's glass were so dusty that you could almost not see out.
The hotel does not offer any air conditioning and although is in a great location, it is next door to a rough location. The hotel looks like it was previously an apartment complex. The rooms are small like a college dorm. It's not safe to walk around at night. I wouldn't stay here. They give you a fan to accommodate the fact that they have no air conditioning. I stayed here based off of a recommendation from a friend. It was a bad idea. I wish I could have my money back. We asked the cleaning service for fresh towels and she said she was all out. She had to come back later. The bed is uncomfortable.
Even though we like the position of the hotel for convenience, it is in the start of where a lot of the homeless people live on the streets. At first it is very depressing, however it was not a problem.
The staff were very helpful and the housekeeping staff were exceptional. The position of the hotel was in a good position near the start of the cable cars and Westfields Shopping center which had an excellent food hall on the lower level.
The neighbourhood and the paper thin walls that keep you awake all night with street and other guests noise.
The shower is old and should be renewed.
Only 10 minutes walk from Central park.
Room is on the small side. Run-down. Parts of the wires are exposed. Carpet is stained but no odor. Bed is on the softer side.
The location is very good. Has a Walgreens, fast food and shopping all within walking distance.
My friends room was drab and very small. The entire hotel needs paint. Front desk is ugly and cluttered. my room could have been a little cleaner.


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This print was inspired by the Scandinavian forests and this very special blue light of the colder periods in the north.
The style is a full length with the elastic waistband for a great support.
We recommend this legging for low impact activities in the studio such as Yoga, barre or pilates.
It also looks great off the mat!