Secret Garden Ideas Backyard

... the optimal diameter of a garden hose, I felt a familiar ... glowing supercomputers. "What other impossible ideas are rattling around in that ... of reality right in its backyard. The probe, a ten-meter spear ... of every credit spent, every secret kept, and every lie told ... the solar system into a backyard pond. "You did it," Alexandra ... for those who contributed their ideas for this work. This will ...

... hide something from Yukari, mostly secret gifts and etc. But not... at various points of the garden, telling the infant stories at ... had fond memories with. The garden they both cultivated. The fences ... from above, crashing in the backyard like the artillery she onced ... designed claws. MBI has zero ideas in weapon making. "A civilian?" ... wants to learn the hidden secret the young man is hiding ...

... need it. Anyone has better ideas? I've tried to take a... a small bit. Feline Merchant (Secret of Mana): Like Neko the... Recettear Generic Builder (vending machines) Secret of Mana Spoiler: wishes/contracts... to someplace other than the backyard, whether it be a field... their problems, literally. Ladies Lake- (Garden of Avalon) A gorgeous glade ...

... but nope, damn. Too many ideas to explore about MBOE, too... not even getting into the ideas here... damn, writing that silly... and now I'm briming with ideas. But now let us focus... some stuff from the herb garden. The dark-haired saint of a... was funny and helped her secret identity, so she didn't ask... find a diamond in your backyard than it is getting an...

I became a teacher because I wanted to save the world, one kid at a time. I know it sounds naive, but I believed it was possible because it happened to me. I grew up in a rough inner city neighborhood, with parents who were barely around: it was my teacher, Mr. Maysfield, who listened when I needed to talk, helped me get a scholarship to college, and even intervened on my behalf when I got in trouble with the law. He had been there for me, and now I wanted to be there for someone else. As soon as I got my teaching degree, I applied for a program that matched educators with schools in need. During the tense months I spent waiting for a placement, I imagined that I would be working in a school like the one I had graduated from. I figured my students would be like me: city kids with city problems, and a lifestyle that I was familiar with. When my letter finally arrived, I discovered I had been assigned to a tiny Appalachian town called ‘Deerchase.’ Its population was less than three hundred, and according to the organization, most of my students would be bussed in from nearby hollers that were even more remote. I had never lived anywhere without public transportation, without twenty-four hour shops, without background noise and light pollution. I received a letter along with my posting, one in which my future principal explained just how isolated Deerchase really was. It was an hour to the nearest gas station, and even further to the nearest grocery store. In winter, snow piled up on the narrow holler roads, making them impassable for weeks at a time. The creeks usually flooded in spring, and if I went into the woods during summer, I would need to be on the lookout for sinkholes and rattlesnakes. I told myself to look on the bright side: maybe this was my chance for one last big adventure after college. For all I knew, I might be about to discover that I loved life in the country. Dawn was breaking by the time I took the highway exit toward Deerchase (not that the town appeared on any signs). I was grateful that I had written the directions down. My GPS service was spotty on the mountain roads, and after a while, all of those gloomy forest-covered hills started to look the same. Maybe it was just the lack of sleep, but eventually I did end up getting a little lost. I pulled into a gas station–the kind that also sold fishing bait and groceries–where I hoped I could get a little help. A dusty bell jingled above the door as I walked inside. The three old men at the counter might have been customers, employees, or lifelong friends: it was impossible to say which. They stopped talking and observed me carefully. I cleared my throat and asked if any of them knew the way to Blink Hollow Road. The three men exchanged a glance. Finally, one scratched his stubbly white beard and sighed. "You missed it a couple miles back. That road goes right down into the valley. The sign’s overgrown, and the turn really sneaks up on you," he warned me. "You headed down there for the fishing?" The large bald man in overalls beside him wanted to know. I shook my head. I had been about to tell the trio exactly who I was and what I was doing there, but the way they were questioning me had put me on guard. The less these three knew, I figured, the better. I had just thanked them and turned to go when the third man shouted something after me. "Well, just don’t stay down there too long. You don't wanna come back with the Deerchase Stare!" He chuckled. It was apparently a joke, but the other two weren’t laughing. The large bald man leaned in close and whispered something; it seemed like he was telling him off. "You take care now," he warned me, "and make sure to be outta there before dark." Part of me wanted to ask what he meant; another part suspected that the three of them were just messing with me. My shiny black shoes and polo shirt made it clear that I was an outsider, and it wasn’t a stretch to imagine that all their talk about the ‘Deerchase Stare’ and ‘getting out of there before dark’ was just a prank invented by some bored old men. Ten minutes later, I was turning down Blink Hollow Road–even though I had nearly missed it for a second time. Hidden in the shadow of so many large trees, the steep downhill route seemed more like a cave than a road. Small slow-flowing streams and narrow game trails crossed it at regular intervals. At times I caught a glimpse of a rickety tobacco barn or junk-cluttered trailer through the trees, but even those looked abandoned. The valley finally opened up ahead of me. I could finally see the town of Deerchase. It was a cluster of weather-beaten brick buildings: a church, a general store, a mechanic’s garage, and the school where I would be teaching. Apart from the rusty bridge that crossed the creek and a few houses, there didn't seem to be anything else in town. I drove through slowly, checking addresses in search of the place that the organization had rented for me. I was surprised (and a little unnerved) to find that the house was just a few doors down from the school. I knew how vindictive some students could be, and I would have preferred a little more separation between my work life and my private life. A slim middle-aged man in a wicker hat sat on the porch across the street, smoking his pipe and watching my progress. So far, he was the only other person I’d seen in Deerchase. I sighed and pulled up to the address I’d been given in the letter. The house was small and on the older side, but the wide windows and fresh white paint gave it an open, airy feel. Just as I'd been promised, the key was beneath the welcome mat. As I stooped down to retrieve it, I felt a presence behind me. The air suddenly smelled like cologne, hayseed, and tobacco. "You’re the new blood, huh?" A hoarse voice announced. I turned. The middle-aged man from the house across the street was holding out his hand to me. "Don Frey, Principal of Deerfield High. I’m the one who sent you that letter." I shook it. After so many hours in the car, my clothes were wrinkled, my shirt was half untucked, and my hair was a sweaty mess: it wasn’t exactly the first impression I wanted to make, but Don Frey didn’t seem to mind. "Long drive, huh?" Was his only comment. Principal Frey immediately launched into a speech that he had obviously given before, one in which he explained that the school owned this property; that the custodian would take care of yard work and maintenance, but I was responsible for keeping the inside neat and tidy; and that it was important to keep the trash cans sealed to discourage wildlife from approaching the house. Until he mentioned it, I hadn’t really fixated on how the woods seemed to loom over my new home. Just about every residence in Deerchase butted up against the forest-covered hills, with barely a tiny patch of grass to separate them from all those gnarled, grasping branches. I thought of bears, vultures, and rabid raccoons, then shuddered. Principal Frey chuckled. "You're from the city, right? For some reason, almost all the kids they send us are from the city. You’ll learn to like it out here, though. Most everybody who comes renews their contract at least once or twice. But I’m sure you’ve already heard all that from Michelle…" According to the organization, I should have received a video call in which my predecessor, Michelle, told me about her experience in Deerchase and offered some helpful tips and suggestions for teaching there. All I'd received so far, however, was a paragraph-long email. I decided not to mention it to Principal Frey: I didn't want to get anyone in trouble, and besides, I was exhausted from the two-day drive to Deerchase. "I’m right across the way," Principal Frey reminded me, "so don’t be a stranger, you hear?" With that, he clapped me on the back and left. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I still felt eyes on me from inside the dark windows of the surrounding houses while I unpacked. I was being paranoid, I told myself; I needed to relax and give Deerchase a chance. At dusk, there was a knock at the front door. I peered through the peephole, but couldn’t see anyone, only a large brown bag with a note stapled to it. The tension of being in an unfamiliar place made my mind race with nasty possibilities. What might be inside? Some stranger's shit? A dead animal? A severed human head, or maybe something even worse? I bit my lip and opened the door. "Welcome to your new home," read the note, signed "your neighbors." The bag contained a weeks’ worth of groceries, several home-cooked meals, and a blackberry pie. Everything was delicious. It was enough to make me forget about the strange sounds of nighttime in the country, and I fell asleep almost as soon as I climbed into bed. The weeks before school started passed by in a blur. There may not have been many people in Deerchase, but they all seemed to want to meet me at once. Cecil, the mechanic, came by to offer me a discount on an oil change; Reverend Whitt, from Deerchase Baptist Church, wanted to know if I'd been baptized. I was constantly bombarded with advice, gossip, or invitations to dinner, and I still hadn't even prepared my first lesson. Under the circumstances, I guess it's no surprise that I overlooked some of the more unusual aspects of life in Deerchase. Like how so many of the houses–including mine–seemed to have a path into the woods in their backyards. Or the total absence of teenagers on the streets. I knew that kids didn't spend as much time outside as they used to, but I had still somehow expected to see a few of my soon-to-be students tossing a ball into the rusty hoop in front of the church or sneaking puffs from a cigarette on the weathered wood steps of the general store. "Minton's Goods and Sundry," read the rusty tin sign on the general store's roof, and it was the first place I went once the supplies from the gift bag began to run out. The shelves were stocked with everything from cans of beans to zip ties and romance novels: all of it was dusty and overpriced. I expected to find a bespectacled old man behind the counter; instead, I discovered that the owner was a freckly redhead who looked to be right around my age. Her name was Ruth, and she was one of the only people who hadn't come by to say hello along with the rest of the casserole parade. She was reserved and tight-lipped when compared to the rest of them: she gave one-word answers to my questions and usually hurried into the back of the store to avoid any attempt I made at conversation. At first I thought she just didn't want to give me the wrong idea, considering that we were both young and single, but by the end of August I had begun to suspect that something darker was going on. Ruth went straight from the store to home, and never spoke to anyone in town if she could help it. It was almost like she was scared of them, although I couldn’t see why: the locals had been nothing but kind to me since I’d arrived. The only thing that bothered me were the noises I sometimes heard at night. Principal Frey had warned me about animals trying to get into the trash, so I figured that was all it was–at first. Maybe it was just city-boy skittishness, but whatever was out there sounded a lot bigger than some raccoon. It called to mind unsettlingly the little path that began in my backyard, the one that I still hadn't gotten around to fully exploring. If nobody was using it, it should have been a lot more overgrown, right? Work pushed those disquieting thoughts right out of my mind. During the week before school, I met my future co-workers and got my first look inside Deerchase High School. Like the house I was staying in, its worn hallways and yellowed light fixtures were old but well-kept; most of my fellow teachers were locals who had moved back to the area after college. I didn’t have much to add to their conversations about hunting or engine repair, but they did their best to include me anyway. Everything was going fine–until September first. The arrival of those rumbling yellow school buses completely transformed Deerchase High. Suddenly students were everywhere: yelling, goofing around, greeting each other after the long summer vacation. I felt a little guilty. In the back of my mind, I had been expecting horror movie stereotypes: a bunch of creepy blond kids who were all in some religious cult, or a classroom full of ignorant, inbred hicks. Instead, I found that teens in Deerchase were just like kids the whole world over: they even listened to some of the same music as my students back in the city. Most of them already knew who I was, and a few of the older students even stopped to greet me and ask what I thought of their town so far. After the first fifteen minutes of class, I was brimming with confidence. This was going to be easier than I thought. I’ll never forget what happened next. We were doing an icebreaker activity. The students were all up out of their seats, milling around the room. Derrick, the Reverend’s seventeen-year-old son, had just told a joke that had the whole class laughing, even me–and then suddenly, everyone froze. Most had stopped in uncomfortable positions, with hands thrown up in the air or leaning cross-legged on someone else’s desk; a few had even been caught mid-clap. If it was some bizarre prank, however, it shouldn’t have worked so seamlessly. At least one or two of the students should have giggled or wobbled in their awkward stances–but nobody did. I waved a hand in front of Derrick’s wide-eyed grinning face. He didn’t even blink. Some of their eyes were beginning to water. Saliva dribbled down from their open mouths, and the unnatural poses were causing some students’ muscles to pulse beneath their skin like twitching worms. I was starting to get genuinely worried. I clapped, shouted, warned them to knock it off–all to no avail. I picked up the phone and dialed the principal’s office. When I still hadn’t gotten an answer after ten rings, I stuck my head out into the hallway. The whole building, it seemed, had gone silent. Seconds ticked by– And then, without warning, life resumed. Hands clapped together, conversations went on as though they’d never been interrupted at all. Principal Frey called back to ask what was wrong. "Nothing," I said, but my eyes were fixed on the clock. Six whole minutes had passed, but apparently I was the only one who noticed it. A hand on my shoulder made me jump. "You okay, Mr. B?" Derrick asked. "You look a little…wound up…" This time, he wasn’t smiling. "First day jitters I guess," I teased. "You guys are just too much for me." Derrick went back to the activity, apparently satisfied, but he whispered something to Suzie, the tall ponytailed girl who sat beside him. When the bell rang to switch classes, both of them looked over their shoulders at me as they left. I couldn’t read the expression on their faces. It seemed almost like suspicion, or fear. If the whole thing had just been a joke, then why did the two of them seem to be taking it so seriously? The remainder of my classes went fine, or would have, if I hadn't been so shaken up. Fortunately, most of the students at Deerchase High were just as friendly and welcoming as their parents. Even though I was distracted and unfocused, nobody gave me any real trouble. So why couldn’t I escape the feeling that the whole school was observing me, waiting to see how I would react to the morning’s events? It got worse as the day went on, and by last period, I was scared of my own shadow. I jumped in my chair when Principal Frey came by to ask me how my first day had gone. As much as I longed to mention those missing six minutes, I didn’t want to give the impression that the kids were already messing with me. "It went great," I told him, and went back to preparing the following day’s lesson. In my dreams that night, I was back in the classroom, trapped with those statue-still teenagers. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead; the ticking of the clock felt as loud as a drumbeat. This time, however, something was different: the students inched a little closer each time I blinked. The expressions on their faces, too, began to change: instead of being locked in laughter, they twisted into something animalistic and hateful. Their hands lifted, as though they wanted to fling me to the floor and eat me alive. I tugged at the door handle, but it refused to open. The lights flickered. And then– I woke up with a start. I lay in bed, watching the ceiling fan stir the muggy summer air and trying to sleep, I heard more of those noises outside. This time, there could be no doubt about it: what I was hearing were footsteps–several sets of them. I rushed to the kitchen to turn on the backyard floodlights, but they didn’t work. No matter how hard I squinted, all I could see through the windows was the pitch-blackness of a moonless country night. I had problems sleeping for the next two weeks. Because I’d prepared everything well and the students were so easygoing, I was able to get through each day, but it was clear that I couldn’t keep this up. The next Friday afternoon, I packed up my things right after last period and headed home for a well-deserved nap. Halfway across the street, however, the hair stood up on the back of my neck. Where had all the shouts and conversation gone? The only noise left was the rumbling of school bus engines and the lonely bounce of an abandoned basketball. It was happening again: all of the teenagers in Deerchase had suddenly frozen in place. I looked desperately around for another adult presence, if only to confirm I wasn’t crazy, and locked eyes with the nearest bus driver. To my surprise, she didn’t look bothered at all by the phenomenon. She just drummed her long crimson nails on the steering wheel impatiently, waiting for it to pass. I stuck my head through the open bus door and asked what was wrong. "Wrong?" She snorted. "Dunno what you’re talking about." I couldn’t believe it. Weaving through the crowd of eerily-unmoving students, I made my way to Principal Frey’s office. If anybody could explain this, it was him. The students sprang back to life just as I was approaching his door. A football player shoulder-checked me and apologized; he seemed genuinely confused about how we had crashed into each other. They don’t know, I realized. None of them are aware of what’s happening to them! Or maybe not none of them. Principal Frey’s door swung open just as I was arriving, and two students walked out: Derrick Whitt and Suzie, the girl with the ponytail from my first period class. From the looks on all three of their faces, they had just been talking about me. "Derrick here was just telling me how great your first lesson was," Principal Frey told me, "and he's not an easy young man to impress." I hadn't overheard much of their conversation, but it was enough to chill my blood. I'd caught the words "sure he noticed" and "happening more often." I stammered a thank you to Derrick, but decided against mentioning the weird trance that the students had just gone into. Whatever was happening here, Principal Frey was already aware of it–maybe even a part of it. I went home, wrote yet another email to my predecessor Michelle, and collapsed into bed. The sun was setting when I woke up. There was still time, I realized, to ask one other person about the strangeness I'd witnessed: Ruth at the general store. She was locking up when I approached, and my unexpected presence made her jump. "What do you want?" She inquired irritably. I asked if she'd known Michelle. "Yeah I did," was all Ruth said, before stuffing her keys in her jacket pocket and stomping down the stairs. "Why did she leave?" I insisted. "I can't get her to call me or have a real conversation, no matter how hard I try…" Ruth glared at me, as though that should have told me everything I needed to know. "Wait!" I shouted after her, but she was already gone, scurrying toward her beat up truck like a hunted deer. As I walked back home, I caught a glimpse of a pipe smouldering in the gloom of the porch across the street. Principal Frey was watching us. On my last grocery run, I had picked up a lightbulb for the backyard floodlight, but it still wasn’t working; Cecil the custodian had been evasive about what the problem might be. It made me wonder whether maybe my lights had been tampered with on purpose. Last time, the sound of footsteps at night had coincided with the students’ trance; if the pattern held, whoever had been passing through my backyard would be back tonight. There was a chance that I might be able to catch them in the act–if I was lucky. Giving up on sleep, I crept out the back screen door and squatted in the shadow of a magnolia tree near the path. The moon overhead was almost full, and I was confident that I would be able to see the trespassers without being seen myself. I had barely gotten into position when I felt something crawling down my cheek. I didn’t see what it was before I swatted it away, but it had felt almost hand-sized. Next came the mosquitos. The longer I sat there, the more of them closed in, as though they were having their last big feast before fall arrived. I was about to give up and go inside when I spotted five dark shapes tiptoeing along the side of the house. One of them was Suzie. She paused to check inside my bedroom window. I shivered, suddenly glad that I had left the bed messy enough so that it appeared someone was sleeping there. She gave the other four a thumbs-up sign, and the group made straight for the path. I recognized all of them as Deerchase High School students. I had never imagined that my first teaching job would involve missing time or creeping through the woods by moonlight, and yet here I was: getting further away from safety with every step. I thought of all the stories I’d heard of people who’d gotten lost for weeks or died of exposure in small, well-traveled parks just because they had wandered a short distance off of the trail–and Deerchase was a lot more remote than any of those places. What if I got turned around in the dark? The students up ahead, at least, seemed confident that they knew the way. The branches cast inky-black shadows on the pale dirt trail. The five teenagers walked quickly and in total silence: wherever they were going, they were in a hurry to get there. They didn’t look back once, not even after a twig snapped beneath my heel. The path wound up to a rocky ridge that offered a panoramic view of the whole valley, then descended steeply into a narrow gully. It joined up with other trails along the way; some of them even had hand-holds worn into the stone, as though they’d been used for generations. All of the paths led downward. The humid air was full of frog croaks and the whirr of insects; the ground beneath my feet slowly transformed into slick muck. The vegetation was thicker down here, with more grasping limbs and gnarled roots to trip over–and the mosquitos were worse than ever. What the hell could a group of teenagers want with a place like this? Up ahead, the foliage finally opened up, revealing a slime-covered pond with a dead tree at its edge. Fireflies, moths, and other bugs I couldn’t identify fluttered above the water. The group made directly for the tree, then halted at the sound of something crashing through the undergrowth–something huge. The largest stag I’d ever seen was barreling toward the five teens, swinging its crown of antlers from side to side like a deadly pendulum. Its mouth frothed; its eyes were wide and rolling. I opened my mouth to shout a warning, but the stag changed directions, making for the tree instead. It scraped its body against the bark for several minutes, then charged off as quickly as it had come. The group of teens exchanged a glance, but they didn’t seem frightened, or even surprised– Well, except for one of them. Beside Suzie stood a shorter girl who I thought I recognized. She was a freshman–and Suzie’s sister. She clung to her older sibling’s hand as though she might fall off of the earth if she let it go. I inched nearer. "You ready, Katie?" Suzie whispered. "As I’ll ever be," Katie replied. Her braces flashed in the moonlight as she gave the group a nervous little smile. "Go on," a broad-shouldered boy from the Deerchase High football team told her. "You know what to do. It’s not scary…" The fear on Katie’s face said otherwise. With Suzie and the others forming a sort of honor guard around her, she approached the dead tree. There was no cover between the edge of the woods and the murky shore of the pond, but I was going to have to get even closer if I wanted to see what they were up to. I took a deep breath and tiptoed out into the moonlight. All it would take now was one of them turning around; I was totally exposed. I didn’t breathe again until I was hidden by the reeds at the pond’s edge. Katie ran her fingers across the gnarled wood. She seemed to be trying to catch something, something smaller than a dime that emitted a faint greenish light. There were dozens of them scurrying across the tree. To me, they looked a lot like glow-in-the-dark ticks. Katie trapped one gently between her fingers and inspected it in the moonlight. "The back of the neck’s the best place," Suzie explained to her little sister. Katie, still hesitant, followed her advice. Seconds later, Katie’s face contorted with pain…and then she giggled. "See?" Suzie squeezed her shoulder. "Not any worse than ripping a bandaid off. It might take a minute or two for it to kick in, though…" The others were already combing the tree for their own brightly-colored bugs; the football player cupped one gently between his hands before holding it against his wrist. Another boy passed one to Suzie, who accepted gratefully. The five of them stood on the edge of the moonlit pond; their unmoving black silhouettes looked like some sort of bizarre surrealist sculpture. Finally, the football player’s shoulders began to shake. He clapped his hands together, threw his head back, and laughed. He took off running through the woods, careless of any path–almost like the stag we’d seen a few minutes before. The others went after him: dancing, twirling, and gibbering like they’d lost their minds. Once I was sure they were gone, I walked up to the dead tree myself. There were still several of those glowing tick-like insects skittering around, but I wasn’t planning to pick one up myself–not without gloves, anyway. This, I thought, must be the truth behind the so-called ‘Deerchase Stare:’ the kids in town were all getting high on the venom of these weird little bugs. Their trances, or whatever they were, were just a side effect. I already had a plan in mind. I would catch a few of the insects in a jar and take them to a buddy of mine at the state university–a guy who was getting his Ph.D in entomology. Even if he wasn’t able to explain what was happening to the teenagers in Deerchase, he’d surely know somebody who could. Little by little, life and sound returned to the pond. Frogs croaked, cicadas whirred; a fat possum blinked down at me from a limb overhead. It would have been a picturesque late-night scene…if it wasn’t for the secret that I now knew. I looked back up the path with a sinking feeling, wishing that I had turned around from time to time to see what the trail looked like from the other direction. Apart from a few tense moments when the path was hidden by rotting leaves or scrambled over stone, however, I was able to follow it back with no problems. Just how often did the local teenagers come down to this place, and others like it? I thought back to what Derrick had said in Principal Frey’s office about those freakish, frozen-in-time moments ‘happening more often.’ What if the trances weren’t a side effect after all? What if they were a withdrawal symptom? The thought of generation after generation creeping down here to take their first hit, only to become dependent on some insects’ venom…it made my skin crawl just thinking about it. One thing was for sure: I couldn’t trust Principal Frey–or any of the other local authorities–with what I’d discovered; I had to get this information to somebody far away from Deerchase. When I finally got back, the digital clock in the kitchen read 3:03 AM. The house, at least, was undisturbed, and the lights were out in the homes across the street. Nobody had noticed my absence…or at least, I hoped not. I showered away the grime of the woods off of my skin and threw myself into bed, exhausted. The next Monday, I kept an eye out for the group that I’d seen in the woods. I had expected to find them gaunt and hollow-eyed,their bodies still reeling from that insane dance through the forest–but apart from a few scratches all five looked happy and healthy. They looked better, in fact, than any teenagers I’d ever seen. When I’d first started teaching in Deerchase, the cheerful easygoing attitude of the students had been a relief; now, it suddenly seemed sinister. After work, I went home and made a shopping list: one that included glass jars and thick rubber gloves. I was just about to head out the door when I spotted a broad-brimmed straw hat bobbing up and down on the other side of the living room window. Principal Frey. What was he doing back on my porch? Fully aware that there was no way to get to my car without being seen, I stepped outside and greeted him. The school principal was seated in my front porch rocker, refilling his pipe and looking out over the town like he owned the place–and maybe, in a certain sense, he did. "Been meaning to tell you," he smiled apologetically, "your front tires are starting to look a little low." I glanced over his shoulder at my hatchback. The tires weren’t just ‘low:’ they were flat! "Don’t worry," Principal Frey reassured me when he saw the look of horror on my face. "I already talked to Cecil, and he should have some replacements for you in a week or two, tops." He paused to light his pipe, then went on. "The school district will pick up the bill. See, we know how hard it must be for you, moving to a place like this where you might run into all sorts of…unexpected things. But you’ll also find that around here, we take care of our own. No matter what." I wasn’t sure whether it was a veiled threat or whether Principal Frey was just being neighborly, but I was pretty confident that I hadn’t run over anything sharp recently. The sabotage was probably deliberate, which meant that I’d have to find another way to get the proof of what I found out of Deerchase. My gaze drifted to Minton’s Goods and Sundry. I told Principal Frey that we’d talk more later; right now, I needed to pick something up at the general store. "I’ve got to talk to you!" I shouted to Ruth, before she could run into the back of the store like usual. She stood up from the shelves she was stocking and dusted off her hands on her jeans; it seemed like she already knew what was coming. I was going to take a chance. If I was wrong, it might be the last thing I ever did. "You’re different from everybody else in Deerchase," I said, "and I think I know why." Ruth froze. For an awful second I was afraid it was the Deerchase Stare all over again; then I realized how long she must have been waiting for someone to say those words. How long she must have been waiting to share her story with somebody she could trust. "My grandfather Minton was a god-fearing man," Ruth stammered. "Not like that hypocrite Reverend and his son, Derrick. Minton made our whole family promise that we wouldn’t go out into the woods at night along with the rest of them, and as you can imagine, that didn’t make us very popular. My ma and sisters all left town, but not me: I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction. After what happened to Michelle, though…" I glanced nervously toward the door: Cecil the mechanic and his son–the football player who I’d seen in the woods–were standing in front of the garage across the street. Maybe it was just a coincidence…but then again, maybe not. I asked Ruth what she meant about Michelle. She admitted that she didn't have any evidence, only suspicions, and the confidence that Michelle had been her friend: she never would have just left without telling her. And yet one day, toward the end of the past school year, my predecessor had just vanished. Her car was gone, the house was empty, and all of its lights had been turned off. Ruth had gone so far as to message the social media accounts of Michelle’s parents, asking for news about their daughter. They said they heard from her about once a week, and that she'd taken another remote teaching job on the other side of the country. "Everybody's saying they've heard from her, but it's all through email. No one's seen Michelle or heard her voice in months. And those emails…they don't sound like the bubbly west coast gal I used to know. They sound like someone pretending to be her. And you know the worst part? Right before she disappeared, Michelle was doing just what you're doing now: standing here asking for a ride out of town." Ruth drew in a long, ragged breath. "Go pack. I'll pick you up in fifteen minutes." I checked outside again: Cecil and his son were gone. I forced myself to walk, rather than run, back to the house: no one was on the streets of Deerchase, but that didn't mean that no one was watching. It was a hot, humid afternoon, and by the time I reached the porch I was thinking more about a glass of cold water and what I was planning to stuff into my suitcase than the dangers of Deerchase. I stepped inside, locked the door behind me, and was just turning toward the kitchen when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Cecil and his son. I barely had time to think of the name before the pair slammed me against the floor. A muscly knee pressed into my spine; my arms were pinned. "This house is property of the school," Principal Frey announced from behind them, "and so of course, I've got a spare key." He stood in the shadows of the room, and he wasn't alone: Suzie and her sister Katie were at his side. Suzie held a small glass jar that contained a few scurrying insects I recognized. Grunting from the pain, I asked him how he’d known. "Your shoes," Principal Frey explained. "There aren't many places around here where you'll find that sort of thick black mud, and all of them are home to our little friends here." Suzie approached with the jar; her sister carefully unscrewed it. Principal Frey snapped on one of his wife's gardening gloves and reached inside. "One of these little fellas could bite me right now and I wouldn't get much more than a rash, some funny dreams, and a day or two of fever. I'm too old, see. A young person like you, on the other hand…the effect gets weaker after the age of twenty or so, but I think you're still young enough to appreciate what they can do…" I thrashed and kicked, but Cecil and his son were twice my size. I couldn't see what was happening, but I could sense the tiny legs creeping across the back of my neck. Just as I was praying that it wouldn't bite, I felt a twinge of pain just above my right shoulder. "Not any worse than ripping a band-aid off," Suzie had said, and it was true. Moments later, the area around the bite began to feel hot. My stomach rolled, as though I'd just taken a plunge on a roller coaster– And then that tiny bug's venom finally took effect. My mentor, Mr. Maysfield, had kept me away from hard drugs, but he couldn't change the neighborhood I grew up in. I'd tried weed, coke, and oxy: this stuff was better than all three. It was better than sex, better than hearing a judge say the words "not guilty," better than the happiest moment of my life. Space became sound, sound became color, and the whole thing blended into an glorious symphony that felt like it would never end. When I came back to my senses, the sun had set and the temperature was dropping. I was somewhere on the two-line road outside of Deerchase; my legs ached from all the running, or maybe dancing, that I'd been doing during the past several hours. A truck rumbled up behind me: it might even have been there all along. Reverend Whitt was driving, Derrick was in the backseat, and Principal Frey was riding shotgun. He stuck his head out the window. "And just think," he chuckled, "that's not even a tenth of what you would've felt if you were sixteen! As you’ve probably noticed," Principal Frey went on, "there aren’t many good jobs around here. There’s no industry, no culture, no tourist attractions. Our little tradition is the one thing we’ve got going for us, and we’ll defend it to the death if need be." I wiped drool from my mouth with the back of my hand. I stared hungrily at the pickup. I knew I should have been screaming about how wrong all of this was, but all I could think of was how badly I wanted more. Reverend Whitt and Principal Frey winked at each other and exchanged a knowing glance. "Don't worry, son," the Reverend smiled, holding up Suzie's little glass jar. "All things come in God's good time." On the drive back to the house, Principal Frey explained his terms. For the duration of my contract, I was forbidden from leaving Deerchase without being accompanied by either Reverend Whitt, Cecil, or himself; the same went for calls and messages exchanged with anyone outside of town. In return, I would receive a dose of ‘chase tick’ venom as often as I could safely receive it. A ‘FOR SALE’ sign eventually popped up in the dusty window of Minton's Goods and Sundry. Everyone told me that Ruth had finally given up and moved away; eventually, I even managed to convince myself that it was true. I renewed my contract, then renewed it again. By the end of my third year, I was twenty-five, and the ‘chase tick’ venom barely did anything for me anymore: just as Principal Frey had said, for older adults all it offered was a rash, a fever, and some intense dreams during the following night. It was time to move on. After I'd said my goodbyes to my friends in Deerchase, I shook Principal Frey's hand, silently reaffirming my promise to never mention the town's strange secret to anyone. I continued my career as a teacher, and my performance reviews were glowing–although they did mention how I seemed to space out from time to time. Things might have gone on like that forever, if it wasn’t for the severe flooding in the Deerchase area last spring. The rising water left behind the remains of a pickup truck that had been dumped into the creek, as well as the corpse of a young woman with her hands cuffed to its steering wheel: Ruth. The discovery prompted state police to dredge the rest of the creek, where Michelle was finally found: her body had been weighted down by chains and mummified with electrical tape. Most disturbing of all, her parents had received an email from her just a few days before. Police traced its transmission to a fast-food joint at the same exit I’d taken to reach Deerchase–one that offered free wifi. I wasn’t sure what stung more: the knowledge that the people of Deerchase had hidden the truth from me, or that knowledge that I had been so desperate for their drug that I’d believed such flimsy lies. Thanks to my anonymous tip, officers finally investigated the trail behind my former home. They went during the day and found nothing to collaborate my testimony. The only result of their visit was that the people of Deerchase now knew I had betrayed their secret. I thought that I was safe in the city–that none of my old neighbors would seek me out and drive so far just for a broken promise. Of course, that was before last night– When I found a tiny glowing tick on my pillow. submitted by /u/beardify to r/nosleep [link] [comments]

submitted by /u/SirDawson to r/DiWHY [link] [comments]

My theory of the crime: On Monday June 16th 2008, 22 year old Casey Anthony intentionally killed her daughter, little 2 and a half year old Caylee Anthony via asphyxiation with duct tape. Casey placed Caylee’s body in a laundry bag and covered it with a blanket, and placed it in her trunk. Casey attempted to bury the body on June 17th with a shovel, in the backyard of the Anthony residence, but discovered it would take too much time and effort. Then, Casey drove around scoping out areas to dispose of the body, but for some reason opted to keep the body in her trunk. Between the dates of June 20th to June 25th- most likely the 25th of June, casey disposed of Caylee’s body in a wooded area less than 1/3rd of a mile from the Anthony residence. Between the dates of June 20th to June 25th Casey cleaned her car with cleaning supplies, and placed a bag of trash in the trunk to cover the overwhelming smell of human decomposition. June 27th Casey abandons the car at an Amscott. The night before the murder (June 15th 2008) Casey Anthony and her mother Cindy Anthony got into a physical fight and Cindy strangled Casey in a fit of rage. Cindy told Casey she needs to move out of the Anthony residence & that she & Casey’s father, George will be attempting to take full custody of Caylee. Casey was now homeless, and full of rage and contempt. Cindy felt Casey was an unfit mother, and was trying to force Casey to become a fit mother to Caylee. By enabling Casey by providing for Caylee, constantly asking Casey her whereabouts, telling her she’s an unfit mother, and threatening to take custody of Caylee. In Casey’s rage she gave up the fight of trying to prove anything. Casey felt “you want to see an unfit mother? I’ll show you an unfit mother.” Casey felt “how dare you try to control my life. I will not be controlled by anyone & im willing to lose everything to prove that.” Casey gave up on the fight with Cindy completely. “If Caylee’s gone i can be free from both responsibility of raising a child, and my parents control.” During the 31days after Casey killed caylee (June 16th~July 15th) Casey went out drinking, stayed with friends, stayed with her boyfriend, stole money from friends & family, got a tattoo, borrowed cars from friends & met with potential love interests. ——————————————————————— Timeline: Monday 06/16/2008: •3:05PM-3:35PM -Casey grabs duct tape from garage -Casey either: - A.puts Cayley in laundry bag - B.approaches caylee during nap -Casey wraps duct tape around her face OR places a strip on eyes, then mouth, then nose. -carries on with business, could have watched TV or packed bags for Tony’s house, wrote in her journal, anything. -after a few minutes (takes less than 10 to suffocate a small child) she returns to the scene crime. Here’s when the sticker may have been placed. If caylee was laying in bed, this is when she’s placed in laundry basket. If already in laundry basket this is when the basket is covered with blanket. At 4:11PM Casey calls Cindy twice, both times go unanswered. Casey was attempting to call Cindy to tell her she will not be taking Caylee to Cindy’s work that day, and she is staying with the nanny tonight. At 4:13PM Casey calls Tony to say she’s free for the night 4:13-4:18 no phone activity, body and laundry basket are placed in trunk -if car is not backed up into garage she could have covered the body with the blanket. carries the laundry basket to the car. -goes to Tony’s, goes to blockbuster, watches movies, spends the night at Tony’s. Tuesday 06/17/2008 -Casey leaves Tony’s to go to Anthony residence. -2:30PM arrives at Anthony residence -backs car into garage. -Asks neighbor for shovel -brings laundry basket, containing body covered with blanket to backyard -Attempts to dig a hole, gives up -puts basket back in trunk -returns shovel within hour -places basket & body back in trunk -drives around scoping potential areas to dump body, decides not to dump this day Between 06/20/2008~06/25/2008 Casey is seen with her car backed into Anthony residences garage by neighbor several times. My theory is that that: - Caylee’s body could have been switched back and forth from Anthony residence to Casey’s trunk multiple times - After dumping the body Casey attempted to clean the car Tuesday 06/24/2008 Casey runs to Anthony residence quickly to grab some of her things George suspects Casey stole his gas cans, when he goes to retrieve them Casey won’t let him open the trunk, and throws his gas cans at him. After this close call Casey decides to finally dump the body 0.2 miles from Anthony residence. Wednesday 06/25/2008 Casey becomes annoyed and worried with obvious decomposition smell -Casey cleans trunk at Anthony home -Casey returns to back Tony’s -Casey places garbage bag full of trash from Tony’s in trunk to disguise smell Friday 06/27/2008 car is abandoned at AmScott ——————————————————————— motive for crime: I believe the motive for the crime was a mixture of multiple factors: Factor 1 Casey wanted to hurt Cindy Factor 2 Casey wanted more freedom + less responsibility Factor 3 Casey had no place to live Factor 4 casey did not want a child to begin with I will explain my reasons for these motives. Factor 1: Casey wanted to hurt Cindy This factor Had much to do with the dynamic between Casey and Cindy. (A) Casey felt extremely controlled by Cindy. 1A. Annie downing says Cindy called Casey while she was out “frequently” asking questions “where are you?” “Why are you out so late?” “When will you be coming home?” “Her mom would call almost every single time we were out to yell at her from one thing to another or see where she was at” 2A. Annie downing: “Casey made it seem like her mother was this horrible person that was trying to control her life, and take Caylee away from her, wanted caylee to call her mom” 3A. Tony Lazzaro: DETECTIVE: Why did Casey have to leave? TL: Uh, because she couldn't, her mom was not allowing her to stay over. Well that's what she had told me at least. 4A. Richard grund: “it’s a household that Cindy rules. The only thing that gets done is what Cindy wants done. That’s the way it is.” 5A. Richard grund: “Casey’s life in my opinion is not good, but it’s a controlled mess up until the end of May early June.” 6A. Michelle Murphy: “i saw Casey very afraid of her mom, and her moms rebuke, or her moms like- what her mom was going to say about her, disappointing her mom” B. Casey felt and was seen as unfit mother 1B. Amy downing interview: “Uhm, and she pretty much you know, said that she thought Casey was an unfit mother and that if this goes on much longer that she would sue for custody of Caylee if it got to that. DR: Why did you, why did she think she was an unfit mom? AH: Uhm, the going out, the partying.” 2B. During lees interview on July 15th 2008 Cindy is trying to see caylee and Casey won’t provide an address so Cindy can see her. In frustration Cindy says she’s calling the police, leaves Lee and Casey alone and Casey starts to open up to Lee: “Mom has thrown it in my face many times before that I’m an unfit mother, maybe she’s right. Maybe i am.” Cindy has said to Casey “even though caylee has been the best thing and the best mistake, that she was indeed a mistake. Casey’s mistake.” Detective asks if the overall theme is that Casey feels Cindy is disappointed in her & Lee says “right. Or maybe not feel like Casey is being the mother that she should be to Caylee. 3B. Lee Anthony: Casey tells Lee caylee has been missing for 31 days, Cindy comes in hearing casey is crying and asks Casey immediately “what have you done?” 4B. Amy huinzega: EE: So she said she well felt she was an unfit mother? But did... AH: Which Casey had told me that her mom has said to her 5B. Michelle Murphy: in response to Casey saying she feels like an unfit mother “If you don’t feel you can take care of your daughter right, you know you’re so lucky to have parents who will gladly take care of Caylee for you.” C. Casey did not like Cindy. 1C. Annie downing: “Casey made it seem like her mother was this horrible person that was trying to control her life, and take Caylee away from her, wanted caylee to call her mom” 2C. Richard grund: “Casey sat at our table over those months when jesse wasn’t there to talk to me, and repeatedly said i don’t want to turn out like my mother. I don’t want to be around my mother. I want out of that house.” D. Casey held resentment towards Cindy 1D. Lee Anthony: Detective asks if there’s a wedge, or a bit of competition between Cindy and Casey and Lee says “there has to be. Whether it’s intentional or what, i know my mother has said on numerous occasions - that’s never she feels as if Casey has some sort of resentment to my mother that my mother has been the provider for caylee down to the extent my mother was the first person to hold Caylee when she came out of the womb.” 2D. George Anthony: Detective: She (Cindy) was almost more of a mother figure than Casey? ga: yeah. I think it happened from the day she was born. As a matter of fact - the day she was born after they got done cleaning my granddaughter up -who they hand her to was my wife and my daughter has always harbored ill feelings” E. Casey felt that Cindy was trying to take her place as Caylee’s mother 1E. Annie Downing: Annie says in reference to caylee’s 2nd birthday party “Cindy was helping [opening caylees presents] and Casey was getting so upset, you know this is my daughter and my moms trying to take my job out of it- Cindy was trying to play mom instead of letting Casey play mom.” 2E: Annie downing: “Casey made it seem like her mother was this horrible person that was trying to control her life, and take Caylee away from her, wanted caylee to call her mom” 3E: Michelle Murphy: “-kind of competing over [opening] the gifts, you know and i think Casey was more involved, but i think, you know, Cindy was still trying to run the show.” 4E. Michelle Murphy: “Mom (Cindy) was being overprotective and overbearing and was trying to assume the mother role with caylee.” F. Cindy threatened to take custody of Caylee F1. Amy huinzega: “Uhm, and she (Cindy) pretty much you know, said that she thought Casey was an unfit mother and that if this goes on much longer that she would sue for custody of Caylee if it got to that. F2. Michelle Murphy: “It (custody) had been mentioned by Lee to me a few times that George had mentioned it.” Continued “as far as the custody thing, of them taking custody of Caylee, it had been an ongoing, i think, subject for, if i had to guess, it would probably be for most of Caylee’s life.” G. Casey wanted to hurt Cindy. Casey knew Cindy would take Caylee if push came to shove. Which is why i believe she didn’t want Cindy to win & wanted to hurt Cindy. 1G. Annie downing said Casey had a breakdown and wanted to go to a facility, Annie asked “what about Caylee?” Casey said “my mom will take her. I know she’ll take her.” 2G. Shirley says to Cindy in an email: “I know you would gladly give your life for Caylee...Personally, I think that Casey took Caylee to hurt you. Not that she meant to harm her. She could have left her with you. And then go on with her lifestyle that she wanted, till she got it out of her system. —She knew she and Caylee would always have a good home with you.” H. Cindy wanted Casey to participate as a parent. H1. Annie downing says in reference to why Cindy would call frequently when Casey was out “she wanted her home to take care of her own daughter” ——————————————————————— Factor 2: Casey wanted more freedom + less responsibility Caylee interfered with Casey’s social life Tony lazzaro: “were over at my place and we wanted to hang out. Well, you know, the four of us. And she couldn't because she was with her nanny and her kids because the kids couldn't fall asleep. Uhm, or I mean she uh, I guess Caylee was asleep and she awoken so she couldn't come over anymore. Detective: So this was that week... AL: Uh ... Detective: ..right after.. AL: ..it would have to be that week. Detective: Okay. So Caylee was maybe a reason why she couldn't come hang out with you and the .... AL: That's .... Detective: ... and the crew? AL: ... well that's, that's exactly what she said is because of Caylee she couldn't. Tony lazzaro: aL: That, also that night she did not stay over. Detective: She didn't? aL: No. Detective: Well was uhm, what was the girl's name she borrowed the car, Amy? aL: Yeah (affirmative). Detective:Was Amy with you guys that night? aL: Yes, Amy was with us that night. But she wasn't in the car. It was only me, Clint House, uhm, her, his girlfriend, Maria. Uhm, we all went back to my place uhm, after the fact, and then Casey had to leave. Detective: Why did Casey have to leave? aL: Uh, because she couldn't, her mom was not allowing her to stay over. Well that's what she had told me at least. Detective: Mom had the baby? aL: That's what, that's what I, she, well the way she makes it, made it sound was that the kid, because she says that every time she goes out her mom watches her kid. When she'd go out at night. So .... Detective: So it's bothersome? Was that your... aL: Basically she was, that she was making, saying that she has, that her mom said that she had to be home because Cas ... Caylee obviously is with uh ... Detective: Grandma? AL: ... Grandma. Ricardo Moralez: Detective: Before we got into the calendar book here, uhm, we had talked about a message over Yahoo Messenger, and on-line message that we're not sure exactly when, It might have been in April or May, about uh, tell me about that where she said that her life kind of sucked because she couldn't do anything because of the kid. rM: Uhm, well Casey was just uh, I guess kind of venting on how she could, she didn't feel that she can participate uhm, fully, or uhm, with her friends because she was a mother. Uhm, and I just tried to I guess comfort her and let her know that you know, you do have more responsibilities that everyone else being that you are a mother. But I mean we do get to hang out with her a lot and we see her pretty often. So it's not like it's that bad. Ricardo morales: Detective: Did that, was that just a one time incident, or did it seem to be a common theme? rM: Uhm, it, I can only remember it on one instance that it was actually spoke of it she I mean sometimes she would say, you know, "I can't do that. I got to be with Caylee," here or there, uhm, but never, whenever she actually spoke of it she didn't sound like annoyed or anything. She was just like, "I can't do it because I got to do this with Caylee." Detective asks Lee if he feels Casey feels that caylee is a bit of a burden, fitting Caylee into her social life, Lee says absolutely. ——————————————————————— Factor 3: Casey had no place to live WITH caylee. A. Casey was kicked out of George and Cindy’s & got into a physical fight with Cindy a1.Rick Plesea wrote on a forum 08/19/2008: "Cindy and Casey were fighting the day before Casey left with Caylee. They had visited my mom and dad on father's day at the nursing home. My mom was angry that Cindy didn't do anything about Casey stealing money from their checking accounts. Thank God that the account for my father was hooked to the nursing home and wasn't allowed to be cashed by no one other than the nursing home. My mom got that money reimbursed from the bank. She asked that the bank press charges but somehow Cindy and George got Casey out of it. That is what we think the fighting was about after they got home that evening that the neighbors overheard." a2.(08/11/2008): Mark Furman, Homicide detective on neighbors overhearing arguing often: "But I can tell you this. While I was still on the ground in Orlando, I talked to one of the immediate neighbors that is within earshot of the Anthony house, and he said that Casey Anthony had one hell of a temper. And he heard her swearing at her mother several times, so loud that he could hear it from his house, and that he would never talk to his parents that way. And he said even Father's Day weekend, that was going on. So whether that's true or not, it's something that he's observed and heard on repeated times. We'd never heard that before, and so that's interesting all unto itself." - "In fact, I asked Cindy Anthony and George if there was a fight that they had with Casey that weekend or any time close to the time when she took Caylee and left, and they absolutely said not. And that seems to be, you know, a direct conflict with a neighbor who on that weekend said that there was, you know, an argument." a3. Jesse Grund says Lee Anthony told him that Cindy and Casey had a huge fight on the night of 06/15/2008 (Linked) “Lee, shortly after my second interview with Orange County, confided in me that the reason that he thought -- Cindy confided in him that the reason he thought she felt that Casey ran off was there was a big fight between the two of them and the fight concerned Casey not being home a lot and not bringing Caylee by. It got into a very heated argument which turned physical, and Cindy started choking Casey.” (B) jesse grund did not offer Casey a place to live b1. jG: Yeah (affirmative), we had a long conversation. Uhm, it was not, it was not a normal, if that's a correct choice of words. Here we go. Uhm, yeah (affirmative), I spoke with her. (Continued) Detective: What was the content of that conversation? jG: Uhm, the fact that her mom was no longer moving out anymore. Casey now had to find a place to live. Uhm, uh, she couldn't stay at home. And that her parents were getting a divorce.” (C) Tony did not want caylee living at his apartment c1. Nathaniel Lezniewicz’ interview with Nancy Grace: “So to us, it did not seem like a good idea to have Caylee at our apartment full-time, so we thought she was doing the good motherly thing. You know, she didn`t want to impose herself on the nanny also, so Caylee would stay there in the evenings, and she would stay with us in the evenings.” ——————————————————————— Factor 4: Casey did not want Cayley to begin with * A. When Casey got pregnant she hid the pregnancy. A1. Michelle Murphy: “i remember the tumor story that she- people were kind of confronting her that she was pregnant, congratulating her or whatever, you know, and she was like oh no I’m not sure what it is I’m going to the doctor, the doctors finally going to do an ultrasound they think it might be a tumor.” A2. Rick Plesea email to Cindy: “You can believe her all you want, but I don't buy it for 1 second. Not one second! She lied to you in front of me aboutbeing pregnant. She was seven months! It was so obvious it was ridiculous.” B. Casey did not want to keep the baby. B1. Kio Marie : “ when I found out Casey was pregnant I asked her what are you going to do about it? She was like I really wanna give it up for adoption.” C. Cindy would not let Casey give the baby up for adoption. C1. KIO MARIE: “ I said well if you were going to give it up for adoption, I’m strongly considering adopting the baby from you. She said that’s a good idea but then she called me back saying that her mom pretty much had told her no that she needs to keep the baby and that she’s not giving it up for adoption, even though she really didn’t want to have the baby” It’s worth mentioning, I feel personally Casey hid the pregnancy in the hopes she would - a. Somehow lose the baby (miscarry) - b. Secretly give birth, get rid of baby (neonatacide) - c. Give the baby up for adoption. I feel option B was plausible because Casey tends to avoid issues until she has no choice. Almost as if ignoring the problem means it’s not there. I know with my knowledge in other true crime cases often times young women commit neonatacide they were hiding their pregnancy as well. I’ve linked an article on this. ——————————————————————— Timeline 06/15/2008 Sunday •Cayley and Cindy visit Cindy’s dad in nursing home •12:03PM Caylee pictured with great grandfather Alex Plesea (Photo1) *Cindy comes home and explodes on Casey, possibly choking her. Cindy threatens to take custody of Cayley and tells Casey she needs to move out. 06/16/2008 Monday •01:00-07:00 AM HP desktop no activity •3:08-3:23AM Tony calls Casey @3:08AM for 15 mins •Cindy Anthony left for work at 7 a.m. •7:45AM Casey checks voicemail •7:56AM-8:06AM Casey chats online •9:27AM Casey uploads pictures online •11:47AM-12:07PM- Tony calls Casey •1:00PM-1:14PM- Tony calls Casey •Casey’s phone pings at house •12:50 George Anthony testified Casey left the home at 12:50 (told Lee Cayley and Casey left at 11:45-12:50) -George says he sees them leave with backpacks. Casey says Cayleys going to babysitters and she’s going to work. After work she said she and Cayley would stay at babysitters house •1:39PM activity on Casey's password-protect profile on Hp Desktop including logins to her social media accounts. •1:44PM-2:20PM- Casey calls Amy •2:30PM George leaves for work -George worked approximately 30 minutes from the home, arrives to work @ 3PM •2:51PM- “fool proof suffocation” searched by Casey •2:52PM-3:03PM- Jesse grund calls Casey Jesse says he can hear Cayley in call, call was “not normal” Casey needed a place to live. •3:04 PM George Anthony calls house phone (26sec) -George’s cell pings at his work thirty minutes away. •3:35 Casey calls Tony (22 seconds) •4:00 laptop files were accessed but no online activity -flurry of calls- {4:11PM Casey calls Cindy (2 seconds) -4:11PM Casey calls Cindy (3 seconds) -4:12PM George’s work (98 seconds) -4:13PM Casey calls Tony lazzaro(58 seconds) •4:18pm text to Tony -4:18 Casey leaves Anthony residence •4:19 text from Tony •4:21 Casey calls Jesse grund (75 seconds) •4:21 Casey is driving north (to Tony’s) •4:25 Casey calls Cindy (3seconds) •6:09 PM texts Amy H directions to Tony’s house (didn’t answer Amy H’s texts from last night ) •6:30PM Casey calls Cindy (3 seconds) and house phone (17 seconds) •7:06 Casey calls house phone again (83 seconds) at or near Tony’s house •7:21PM Casey calls Amy •7:58PM Casey goes to blockbuster with Tony. No Cayley. -rented 2 movies,"Untraceable," about a kidnapper and killer. The other was "Jumper," about a mother who abandons her 5-year-old child, who then can teleport himself •11:00PM hp desktop no activity •11:17PM Casey recieves text from Amy •11:17PM Casey’s phone goes quiet for 11.5 hours 06/17/2008 Tuesday -00:00 laptop activity-system files -2:00AM HP desktop no activity -5:00AM-8:00AM HP desktop no activity -09:00AM-12:00PM HP desktop no activity -2:00PM-3:00PM laptop system files -2:15- leaves Tony’s house -texts with Amy H, gives her George and Cindy’s address, asks for a heads up text when she’s on the way. possibly sees her briefly -returns home @2:30PM -Casey’s car is backed into George and Cindy’s garage -2:45 calls Tony -4PM phone pings Lee Vista Boulevard and South Goldenrod -4PM laptop safari activity -5:20PM phone pings near Blanchard Park at state Road 50 and Goldenrod -5:23 and 8:23 no phone activity, back at Tony’s. -7PM-11:00PM laptop other user activity - neighbor says George and Cindy told him their pool side gate was left open & supply box was found by side of pool -3:00PM-11:00PM Hp desktop no activity 06/18/2008 Wednesday -Casey borrows a shovel from neighbor, returns within an hour 1:30-2:30PM. Car is backed into garage. Doesn’t appear muddy or sweaty -After 28 mins no cellphone activity her phone pings at unusual location. (Econ Trail located south of Lake Underhill) 06/19/2008 Thursday -Casey goes with tony to help him look for an apartment 06/20/2008 Friday (photo2) -neighbor sees Casey back into garage (early afternoon) -she works at club fusion -photographed after midnight -Casey tells Amy her car is out of gas 06/21/2008 Saturday -stayed night at Tony’s 06/22/2008 Sunday -Stayed night at tonys 06/23/2008 Monday -woke up at Tony’s, went to parents, car ran out of gas. -Casey’s friends say she “fell off the face of the planet” between June 12& 23rd. Friend says he’s certain she was staying with Tony in this time. -Lazarro found Casey walking south on Chickasaw Trail, from there he drove her to the Anthony home. - Lazarro broke lock on the Anthony's shed with tire iron for Casey to get gas cans. - Lazarro did not smell any strange odor coming from Casey's car while standing outside the vehicle. -neighbor claims to have seen a pickup truck, hears Casey’s voice, and makes voice at Anthony residence. -Casey claims nanny car accident happened this day. Tells Cindy she’s in Tampa Florida. 06/24/2008 Tuesday -10:20AM George reports gas cans as stolen -2:25~3:30PM Casey shows up at parents house, George sees her and talks to her. He says the conversation went like this “she says, Oh, by the way, it's a shame what happened in the shed. And I said... Really? She says, yes. I said, Interesting” George says he told Casey “i need to get something out of your trunk” and “she didn't want me to get into the car to get the stuff out. Dad, I'll get it for you. Dad, I'll get it out. I said, It's no problem. I know where it's at. I'll get it, get it out and be done with it. So as we're walking out through the garage, she's still telling me, Dad, I'll get it. Give me a minute, I'll get it. I said, Casey, I'm capable of reaching inside your car, and I got it. So and she opened up the trunk of the car... The gas cans there. She's the one that took the gas cans.” George and Casey fight over gas cans & Casey storms out “here’s your f**king gas cans!” Opens trunk herself quickly and throws them out. On trial George said there was no smell of decomp, only gas. and no duct tape on gas cans. He said he couldn’t see into trunk. He has at the back, rear, passenger side when she opened trunk, threw gas cans out. -Jesse and Casey call, Jesse swears he hears Cayley “gibberish” on the phone. Casey telling her to stop. Saying Cayley stop. Get off the table. He says whenever Casey’s on the phone Cayley wants attention and wants to talk on the phone. -Jesse later reported he couldn't say with full certainty that he heard Caylee's voice. 06/25/2008 Wednesday -phone pings near George and Cindy’s home & crime scene, George SEES her at the house. He’s still shitty ab the gas cans. -told Amy in phone call her car “smelled like something died in her car” aH: “She had told me that there was this horrible smell in her car and she couldn't figure out what it was. And then like as the days progressed, it may have been more that two days. But I know it was at least more that one day that she talked to me. So it had to have been at least two days that she told me about this smell in her car. And she uhm, you know like the next day it was just so much worse. She was like I think maybe my dad ran something over with my car when he borrowed it and it, it smells like something died in my car. And uhm, but she had mentioned the engine as being the source of the smell” 06/26/2008 Thursday -stays night at Tony’s 06/27/2008 Friday -11:49AM Casey’s car is out of gas again second time in 2 weeks. Both on a Friday -car is abandoned at amscott this day -Tony picks up Casey at amscot she’s waiting outside the car, she says she’ll worry about it later -1:41 AM texts to Amy h: “i need a freaking vacation” -1:34 AM “there was definitely part of a dead animal plastered to the frame of my car” (Casey had mentioned bad smell) -Casey calls Jesse inviting him to fusion that night -Casey calls Ricardo asking about plans for June 28th, Ricardo mentions to detectives he hasn’t heard from casey much, estimates 2x since the 14th. 06/28/2008 Saturday -amscott employee notices white Pontiac still there, calls cops, gives liscense plate to see if it was stolen, it was not listed as stolen. Amscott said to call if it’s still there tomorrow. -Casey calls Jesse 1:25PM asking to borrow gas cans, he had none -Casey stays night at Tony’s 06/29/2008 Sunday -Casey stays the night at Tony’s. Chillen before his vacation Monday 06/30/2008 Monday -Casey takes Tony to airport for his trip to NY -Casey now is borrowing Tony’s jeep -07:00 amscott employee calls towing company ab abandoned car -car is towed at 09:06AM, tower says didn’t notice anything about car other than child’s car seat in backseat. -09:45AM casey shows up on Amy and Ricardo’s doorstep, hadn’t seen Casey in person since June 10th~30th, because Casey blew her off ab their vacation plans, they did text in this time though. -asked Amy if she had gas cans, again -they go to target and get gas cans -CCTV sees Casey shopping at different stores, -hangs out w Amy until Amy goes to work at 5PM -spends the night at Amy and Ricardo’s -Ricardo recounts: She'd also talk about the that she was so upset that she barely been able to see Caylee lately. But it's just, you know, it's better for her. She's you know, just playing and having fun. They're going everywhere. They'd gone to you know, Busch Gardens for a while. And she was like, "You know, they're just, you know, she's having fun. So at least she's in a good place and not involved in all of this other stuff 07/01/2008 Tuesday -wake up at Ricardo and Amy’s -10:15 am calls Jesse asks to use his shower "Please, I need a favor." And I, I uhm, asked her what the favor was. She said, "Well I need to take a shower before I go to work. I was staying at Tony's but I don't have the key to get back into his place and uhm, I can't go to my parents' place to take a shower." I expecting to see Caylee with her when she came by. I said, "Okay, fine. You can come over and take a shower." Uhm, she arrives at 10:39. Calls me when she gets to the door. I come open the door for her. She doesn't look like someone who needs to take a shower. She looks normal, cleaned up. She's got a bag with her, it looked like it has clothes in it, and went in to take a shower. Left the door half open, went in and took a shower in my bedroom. I stayed in the living room, playing a video game, watching television. Uh, and then she came out and sat around until about twelve o'clock, uhm, watching television with me - Cctv buying more clothes -Car tower notices smell of decomp -1:09Am: text to Amy H: “sorry. was talking to my crazy mother.” -Casey stays night at Amy and Ricardo’s -goes to a bar with a bunch of dudes from hs (one of which is Brandon snow) -Casey claims she works until 5 this night, assuming at fusion 07/02/2008 Wednesday -wakes up at Amy’s and Ricardo’s -Casey steals Amy’s money and makes up a lie that Amy did it herself in her sleep -gets beautiful life tattoo -Casey stays night at Ricardo and Amy’s 07/03/2008 Thursday -wakes up Amy and Ricardo’s -Lee finds out Casey’s at a bar (social media) calls Casey and says he’s coming to get her, Casey gets visibly upset and her and her friends leave. -Cindy goes to universal to find Cayley since Casey said she’d be there w babysitter. -Cindy posts “ She came into my life unexspectedly, just as she has left me. This precious little angel from above gave me strength and unconditional love. Now she is gone and I don’t know why. All I am guilty of is loving her and providing her a safe home. Jealousy has taken her away. Jealousy from the one person that should be thankfull for all of the love and support given to her. A mother’s love is deep, however there are limits when one is betrayed by the one she loved and trusted the most. A daughter comes to her mother for support when she is pregnant, the mother says without hesitation it will be ok. And it was. But then the lies and betrayal began. First it seemed harmless, ah, love is blind. A mother will look for the good in her child and give them a chance to change. This mother gave chance after chance for her daughter to change, but instead more lies more betrayal. What does the mother get for giving her daughter all of these chances? A broken heart. The daughter who stole money, lots of money, leaves without warning and does not let her mother now speak to the baby that her mother raised, fed, clothed, sheltered, paid her medical bills, etc. Instead tells her friends that her mother is controlling her life and she needs her space. No money, no future. Where did she go? Who is now watching out for the little angel?” 07/04/2008 FRIDAY Casey texts Jesse: There's something going on with my family right now. If my, if my mom tries to call you don't say anything. Stay out of it. I'll take care of it -Jesse Grund: “left a voice mail uh, which specifically said, "Something going on. If my family tries to call you don't say anything to them. Uhm, you have anything to say but don't say anything to them.Uhm, I'll tell you about it later," and then left a voicemail and that was it. -stays the night at Amy and Ricardo’s - Casey spends the 4th partying at wills house texts Jesse grund “ I don’t wanna talk about it maybe later once I’m drunk I will” 07/05/2008 SATURDAY -casey hangs out w Will Walter’s until it’s time to get Tony (09:30 she shows up at his house) they go to Zaxbys and IKEA. -Casey washes Tony’s jeep at car wash by airport because the outside is “dirty” -Casey is giddy,happy, excited to pick Tony up from airport. Casey calls and talks to Walter’s up until she meets Tony at airport -12:00 PM casey picks up Tony from airport and washes his jeep -Casey and Tony go to BDUBS to watch a UFC fight and Tony meets some of Casey’s friends -After July 5th Casey lives in Tony’s house basically. -Casey would wake Tony up at night sweating due to nightmares about their relationship 07/06/2008 SUNDAY -6:50PM Casey’s MySpace post: (Casey Anthony's MySpace 07/07/08 6:50pm) Casey Anthony's Diary of Days posting: "On the worst of worst days, remember the words spoken, Trust no one, only yourself. With great power, comes great consequence. What is given, can be taken away. Everyone Lies. Everyone Dies. Life will never be easy. On the worst of worst days, remember the words spoken, Hold your head high. Smile. Laugh. Love Unconditionally. Tomorrow is a brand new 07/13/2008 SUNDAY Cindy found the post office notice for the registered letter from Johnson's Towing on her front door 07/15/2008 TUESDAY -Casey goes to blockbuster, Winn Dixie, bank -2:30PMCasey picked up Amy from airport -George and Cindy pick up car from impound -Cindy called police twice to recover car, and report stolen money -Cindy texts Casey “major problem” and “call me” -George goes to work -Cindy removes grey pants from car and washes them in laundry to remove smell -Cayleys favorite doll is in the car with a smell of decomp on it, Cindy admits to cleaning the doll with Lysol wipes to try to remove the smell -Casey tells cindy she’s not in town, with friends -Cindy finds Amy’s contact info in the car, calls Amy, asks Amy to bring her to where Casey is -Cindy and Amy go to Casey’s location (Tony’s house) -Casey leaves with Cindy and Amy -Cindy says “you better be rich because she’s gonna take you for all you got” to Tony and Nate -Cindy takes Amy home -Lee comes back later that night to get Casey’s belongs at Tony’s, says Casey is bad news and a “pro” at cashing forged checks -Casey admitted cayley was missing for 31 days 911 call: -Cindy calls 911 over a stolen vehicle, and missing grandchild, claims “smells like there’s been a dead body in the damn car” -police show up -Casey tells police that on June 9th she took Cayley to babysitters. Casey says Cayley was wearing a pink shirt and jeans shorts, white sneakers, ponytail. Casey says after dropping Cayley off she went to work at universal (didn’t work at universal for 2 years at this point) upon coming to retrieve Cayley Casey says the babysitter and Cayley were nowhere to be found. Casey claims she spent the next four weeks at her boyfriends, worried and pacing. Casey claims she stole money from friends and family to find Cayley. Casey claims she didn’t want police involved in the fear something would happen to Cayley if she called.Casey claims she last spoke to nanny since June 12th. Casey claims she heard from nanny over a phone call on July 15th where Cayley can be heard. -11:38PM (From Facebook - Posted To ????): Amy Huizenga (Orlando, FL) wrote To ???? wrote at 11:38pm on July 15th, 2008 "A person who I thought was my friend stole money one night while I was sleeping and made up a story about how I got up in my sleep and put money away for the trip I was going on (I got back today, it was a great trip!). I bought that, she's my friend, but after today I know it was her. I let her use my car while I was gone and my check book was in there. Account cleared out. Hopefully I'll be able to get that back... but yeah... overall... about a grand. Which isn't even the worst (for me it is...) apparently her kid has been missing for a month. She claims the nanny stole her and was too afraid to tell her mom. So, as bad as all this is, there is a little girl out there (hopefully) that I'm way worried about. Anyway, how are you?" 07/16/2008 Wednesday -Casey agrees to take police to last place she saw Cayley (baby sitters house) -Casey is dropped back off at parents house 6:45PM. -officer finds nobody lives in the residence Casey showed him claiming the baby sitter lived here. -officer asks Casey to come to her alleged place of work (Universal.) casey agrees, leads them inside a building before admitting she doesn’t work there. -an interview takes place in universal where Casey admits to lying about babysitters address and working at universal but claims she did last see Cayley with babysitter. -Casey arrested for child neglect and lying to police. 07/17/2008 Thursday -car is searched for evidence 08/29/2008 Friday -August 29 Casey is arrested for forging checks (stole 650$ from friend Amy) 12/11/2008 Thursday -skeletal remains found by meter reader who called police for the 3rd time about the body. -the Remains found less than a mile from family home. -body was found concealed in 2 black trash bags, a canvas bag, Prosecution testified that duct tape was placed over bodies nose and mouth. duct tape had on it a heart-shaped sticker. A sheet of heart-shaped stickers (with many missing) was removed from Casey's bedroom -The root growth and leaves around the skull and remains showed Caylee (body) had been dumped six months before remains were discovered. -The Anthony family home is searched. Casey's laptop is confiscated. Her laptop showed recent searches of "chloroform" and "self-defense." When testifying, Cindy claimed she made the searches, but time-stamps showed she was at work and the likelihood of that is low. Other searches included "neck-breaking," "death," "ruptured spleen," chest trauma," "inhalation," and directions on how to make weapons from household products. submitted by /u/Valuable-Deer452 to r/CaseyAnthony [link] [comments]

We start September with no personal planets in retrograde and Mercury making its last hurrah in the sign of Leo. Expect some bold, emotional statements from people in your life and, more prominently, from those in leadership positions. Since July 25, Venus has also been in Leo, adding a layer of showiness to the mix. With both Mercury and Venus in this fiery sign, early September news may feel bombastic, self-congratulatory, or simply louder than usual. September brings major energy shifts. Saturn retrogrades back into Pisces, where it will remain until February 14, 2026. If your natal Saturn is in the last 10 degrees of Pisces, you may find yourself re-entering your Saturn return. This is a period for deep reflection, examining where you need to take responsibility and aligning your choices with what your heart truly desires rather than what you think others expect of you. Even if your natal Saturn is in earlier degrees of Pisces, this retrograde acts as a check-in to tie up loose ends before moving into your next life phase. Eclipses will dominate conversations this month. Although eclipses can act like supercharged full or new moons, they often bring shifts in power and leadership. Looking back at last year’s presidential race, Harris appeared to have momentum. But even though her approach may have differed from Biden’s, there was not enough to position her as a true change in power. Her record, including moments as California’s Attorney General that leaned progressive, was not enough to create clear distance from the previous administration. Two eclipses framed that election season. The Pisces lunar eclipse occurred on September 19 and the Libra solar eclipse on October 2, 2025. Robert Kennedy Jr. dropped out of the race on August 23, just a day after Harris secured the Democratic ticket. Elon Musk had already voiced support for Trump in June, but it was October 5, just days after the Libra eclipse, that Musk and Trump appeared together at a Pennsylvania rally. It is hard to reconcile how someone with immense wealth, joined by the world’s richest man at the time, could be positioned as the face of change for the general populace. While I do not have a definitive answer, I do have a theory, and it ties back to Pluto. Before we get there, though, let’s pause and look at the other significant shifts September brings. September 2025 Key Changes Saturn retrogrades back into the zodiac sign of Pisces on September 1st at approximately 3:06 AM CDT (08:06 UTC) Pluto begins its out of bounds south phase in the zodiac sign of Aquarius on September 1st Mercury ingresses into the zodiac sign of Virgo on September 2nd at approximately 8:23 AM CDT (13:23 UTC) Uranus stations retrograde in the zodiac sign of Gemini on September 5th at approximately 11:51 PM CDT (04:51 UTC September 6) Total Lunar Eclipse (Full Moon) in the zodiac sign of Pisces on September 7th at approximately 1:08 PM CDT (18:08 UTC) Mercury cazimi in the zodiac sign of Virgo on September 13th at approximately 5:51 AM CDT (10:51 UTC) Mercury ingresses into the zodiac sign of Libra on September 18th at approximately 5:05 AM CDT (10:05 UTC) Venus ingresses into the zodiac sign of Virgo on September 19th at approximately 7:39 AM CDT (12:39 UTC) Partial Solar Eclipse (New Moon) in the zodiac sign of Virgo on September 21st at approximately 2:54 PM CDT (19:54 UTC) Mars ingresses into the zodiac sign of Scorpio on September 22nd at approximately 2:54 AM CDT (07:54 UTC) Sun ingresses into the zodiac sign of Libra on September 22nd at approximately 1:20 PM CDT (18:20 UTC) Pluto Out of Bounds Though declinations have been noted since Ptolemy, it was not until the 1970s that astrologers began interpreting planets out of bounds in chart readings. Astrologer K.T. Boehrer introduced the idea that when a planet moves beyond 23 degrees 26 minutes north or south of the celestial equator, it carries astrological significance. Boehrer focused primarily on evolutionary astrology and the interpretation of personal natal charts. More recently, astrologer Rosie Finn has applied the concept to mundane astrology, observing that Pluto out of bounds to the south often coincides with revolutionary expression and shifts of power to the people. With Pluto beginning its out of bounds south phase in September, we may see these revolutionary patterns echoed once again on the collective stage, similar to the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions of the 18th century. Why do I think this is a possibility? Several months ago, someone posted on Reddit about Pluto being out of bounds. I had planned to circle back to that post and research further, but it fell through the cracks. Then, another astrologer brought it up a few weeks ago, which sent me diving into the topic. Though I am not finished with my research, what I have uncovered so far aligns with history and supports what Rosie Finn has shared in her article on astro.com and in her guest appearances on YouTube. One reason the idea of Pluto out of bounds in mundane astrology intrigues me is that we have not yet seen revolutions on the scale we witnessed in earlier centuries. I have noticed Reddit users asking when Pluto in Aquarius will “begin,” as if Pluto operates with an on-off switch. In a way, it may. This time, however, the energy feels delayed. During the era of the American Revolution, Pluto was already out of bounds in Capricorn before the Declaration of Independence. As Pluto moved into Aquarius untethered, we saw it act independently, fueling upheaval and sweeping change. Unlike previous times when Pluto was in Aquarius with a continuous out of bounds phase, this time Pluto will alternate. It will spend about five months out of bounds and seven months in bounds each year over the course of a decade. How this plays out is unpredictable. Personally, I think it may be a time that oscillates between rebellion followed by reform. The larger question is who are the people that will be the reformers? This part is still conceptual and has not been fully tested, so I am not claiming that my theory is proven. Rosie Finn has pointed out that when Pluto was near the celestial equator, at or close to 0 degrees of declination, we saw reformers emerge, such as Mikhail Gorbachev in the late 1980s. During that same period, Czechoslovakia experienced a peaceful transfer of power during the Velvet Revolution. While true change requires collective effort, I can imagine that some of the organizers in the coming years may be individuals with Pluto in Scorpio, born in the late 1980s, whose natal Pluto sits close to that 0-degree declination. Astrologically, these are people with the ability to dive deep, to assess what has worked and what has failed in the past. Rather than putting temporary fixes on broken systems, they could be the ones to create structures that blend proven methods with progressive ideals. In the next five months, remember the words of Gil Scott-Heron: “The revolution will not be televised.” Videos of key events are being suppressed or throttled on social media, and even benign hashtags are being used to hide or redirect content. During World War II, when Pluto was in Leo, it moved in and out of bounds just as it will now. What happened then? We entered the era of superpowers and eventually established an industrialized military complex. Understanding what was built then can help us recognize what needs to be dismantled or restructured now, and how those entrenched systems have worked against humanity. Looking at the past makes it clear what needs to change. Many of these issues have been called out for decades. I will not prescribe tactics, but history shows that during this Pluto cycle, progress has come through protests and collective action. The Berlin Wall came down when Pluto’s declination was at -1° 53' 55", roughly a year after Pluto crossed the 0-degree mark. There is much to learn in this midpoint between the accumulation of power and the shift we are about to experience. Though Pluto’s declination has not been a major focus in astrology, its unique out of bounds phase is worth noting. Still, because this concept is relatively new, let’s turn to the rest of September’s astrology and examine it through a more widely accepted lens. Saturn and Uranus Retrograde into Previous Zodiac Signs Saturn is called a malefic planet because it restricts and can bring heavy themes to the table. While in Aries, we’ve had a glimpse of what the next few years may hold: a struggle between responsibility and authority versus independence and action. But as Saturn moves back into Pisces, it becomes a time to shore up the lessons we may have missed earlier. Pisces is the sign of imagination. It can see what exists in another realm and carries both hope and compassion. Unfortunately, it can also be self-sacrificing and vulnerable to illusion. With Saturn in Pisces, that duality can surface. We may find ourselves taking responsibility for situations that were never truly ours to own. Or, on the flip side, believing that our actions were right and necessary, only to later realize they were shaped by illusion or misinformation. Let that sink in. Over the next five months, many of us will find ourselves evaluating choices made between March 2023 and May 2025. Maybe you conceded your stance too quickly. Maybe you trusted someone whose motives were not as pure as they appeared. Or maybe you followed someone else’s rhetoric instead of trusting your inner voice In September, Saturn will remain in conjunction with Neptune and will be sextile to Pluto in Aquarius and Uranus in Gemini and then Taurus. In retrograde, we may be wrestling with the lies we’ve told or believed. There is an energy pushing us to our limits. We are grappling with our current situation, trying to blend the old with the new, to decide what to discard and what to keep. During this month, expect secrets to surface, and for some of us, a realization of how impressionable we’ve been, not just in the present, but in the way we’ve idealized parts of the past. Which brings us to Uranus retrograde in Gemini. For now, Uranus will continue to electrify themes of information, communication, and the way we connect with one another. We may have to find alternative sources for news and information, because we may have to speak in code in order for information not to be suppressed. Or, we could break free in some form from the current restrictions. For instance, you may have to go to news sources that are headquartered outside of your home country to know what is happening in your place of citizenship. Now that we’ve had a glimpse of where we are headed, Saturn and Uranus retrograde give us the perspective we need. They invite us to think about our role in humanity and to ask the harder questions: How did we get here? And more importantly, what lesson are we meant to be learning? Mercury in Virgo – It Is All About the Data As Mercury leaves Leo and ingresses into Virgo on September 2, the focus shifts to data. When Mercury is in Leo, language often carries bravado, exaggerating for effect, grandstanding for attention, or letting pride seep into every message, even when the intent is generous or benevolent. With Mercury in Virgo, the fact checkers come out to play. Virgo Mercury energy can be nit-picky at times, but its true purpose is to ensure that information is vetted and accurate. Depending on where you live, this could also be a reminder to dig deeper, researching and verifying sources before accepting what you are told. On a personal level, this is an excellent time to organize and categorize, whether that is your finances, your closets and cabinets, or even your digital files. If you are planning a big project, put the details into a spreadsheet. When Mercury is in Virgo, it is also a great time to evaluate your daily routines, taking an honest look at where you are wasting time or energy and which tasks are giving you the greatest return for your efforts. Through the 18th of the month, you may find yourself making lists or weighing pros and cons. For example, if you are deciding between joining a traditional gym or purchasing an unlimited pass at a yoga studio, you might jot down how each option fits your schedule, what perks each offers, and which aligns best with your long-term goals. It could come down to which one has a sauna or offers a meditation class. Mercury rules two signs, Gemini and Virgo. Gemini asks questions, gathers information, and spreads it widely but without deep analysis. Virgo, on the other hand, applies discernment. It evaluates, sorts, and filters to separate what is valid from what is false. With Saturn retrograde in Pisces during this time, some of the information you believed to be factual may be challenged while Mercury moves through Virgo. Though Mercury will make various aspects throughout the month, one that stands out is the cazimi on September 13. Though the conjunction is exact at 20 degrees and 56 seconds, you will feel its influence starting on the 12th and continuing through the day of the 13th. Communication will pick up speed, even with the Virgo influence. During Mercury cazimis, we often experience media overload, with many “breaking news” stories flooding our feeds. This cazimi carries a couple of notable aspects. The first is a sextile to Jupiter, which suggests that themes related to beliefs, law, travel, or foreign affairs may dominate your news feed. Conversations around injustice or rulings could rise to the surface, and there may also be a heightened focus on a woman politician during this time. The second is the opposition to the North Node in Pisces. With both Jupiter and the North Node activated, there may be glimpses of hope within the chaos, especially in relation to the constant flood of information. Even if you feel drained, there could be a sense that a collective path is beginning to form, one guided by compassion and empathy. The Eclipses in the Virgo–Pisces Polarity The Virgo–Pisces polarity is about how we are of service to each other, to the world, and to the greater good. It speaks to our everyday lives, the work we do, and how we can create a peaceful existence. At its core, this polarity is about how we operate daily within our systems, balancing our physical and mental health. We are now at the midpoint of the Virgo–Pisces eclipse cycle. Here are the dates for this series: September 18, 2024 – Partial Lunar Eclipse in Pisces March 14, 2025 – Total Lunar Eclipse in Virgo September 7, 2025 – Total Lunar Eclipse in Pisces September 21, 2025 – Partial Solar Eclipse in Virgo August 28, 2026 – Partial Lunar Eclipse in Pisces February 20, 2027 – Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in Virgo So why does life feel so chaotic if this polarity is tied to systems of health and well-being? It is because eclipses bring beginnings and endings. They push change and spotlight what is no longer working. Inflation, the rising cost of healthy foods, political pressures, and even a sense of dread are all bubbling to the surface now. Notice the pattern in the list above: five of the six eclipses in this series are lunar eclipses, which occur during full moons. Full moons are about culmination and completion. The two eclipses this month mark the midpoint of this cycle, a turning point. This could be when we recognize that certain habits or systems can no longer be ignored. Maybe it is our diet, time spent sedentary in front of screens, or the ways we allow stress and broken systems to dictate our lives. Even a simple trip to the grocery store shows the cracks in the system, where something as basic as bakery bread now comes with a list of additives beyond flour, yeast, salt, and water. As the U.S. government removes regulations, it can feel like we are doomed. I would argue the opposite. It may take years, but this cycle could usher in a shift away from corporate, factory farming and back toward local, sustainable options. My stepfather used to roll his eyes when my sister or I used the word “organic.” I would remind him that his father’s backyard victory garden that was present during his childhood, with its fresh tomatoes and vegetables, was as organic as it gets. The impacts of eclipses are rarely immediate. Their energy unfolds over months, often up to two years after the event. What we are already seeing is a shift in habits: buying less, prioritizing what truly serves us, and finding ways to integrate more balance into daily life. By the end of this cycle, mind, body, and soul may feel more important than the latest food trend. Home gardens and hydroponic systems could become more common. Grow bags filled with new potatoes might line the patios of apartment balconies. Outdoor group activities, like yoga in the park or a game of basketball, may become staples, offering productive, mindful, and low-cost ways to reconnect with our bodies and each other. Eclipses tend to hit governments and leaders the hardest, and questions around their mental and physical health often surface. Naturally, that raises the question many of you are already thinking: what about Trump? These two September eclipses will affect him. The lunar eclipse on the 7th, a full moon, creates a grand cross to his natal Uranus in Gemini and his Sagittarius Moon. This can bring disruption to his routine. Restrictions could be placed on him, or he may try to impose restrictions on others. Irritability and emotional volatility are likely, with a higher risk of lashing out at those around him. You could argue that sounds like a typical day for him, but this energy is amplified. The solar eclipse on the 21st, which coincides with a new moon, carries a softer energy for him. He may be in better spirits, perhaps enjoying time in his home, but he may also lean into self-indulgence or rely on others to manage responsibilities, or the care of his health. Keep in mind, I am only reading the eclipse energy here, not the full picture of his chart. We are all aware of his declining health, but I will not make predictions about that or speculate about when he may exit the physical plane. Still, it is worth noting his own words: “I'm hearing I'm not doing well. I am really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons,” referencing his attempted role in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. What I will say is that the squares from Saturn in Pisces, combined with the eclipses’ tension to his natal Sun, Moon, and Uranus, signal a period that will be far from easy. Mercury and Venus – The Mutual Reception On September 18, Mercury moves from Virgo, its domicile, into the sign of Libra. Venus follows on the 19th, leaving Leo and entering Virgo, the sign of its fall. Venus is ruled by Taurus and Libra, and Mercury is ruled by Gemini and Virgo. What we have with these two planets is a mutual reception. A mutual reception happens when two planets support each other through their dignities. They share energy, almost like a marriage, where each partner leans on the other. Because Venus is in a debilitated state, this isn’t the strongest reception, but there is still support and collaboration between the two. At the start of the reception, they sit about 30 degrees apart, creating a slight strain. I think of it like this: Mercury is charming, using kind words and smooth moves, while Venus is at the bar, a little tipsy. Mercury, feeling like Casanova, might make a flirty advance. Venus, intrigued by Mercury tapping into its most comfortable energy, could be swayed by Mercury’s love-bombing. But just before anything happens, Venus snaps into common sense, sizes up the situation, and, instead of going along with Mercury’s advances, decides to just be friends. So what does this mean for our everyday lives? We may feel more optimistic and more easily swayed by good news at first. But after that initial lift, we have the ability to step back, review the facts, and make grounded decisions. This energy flows into the new moon, helping us release the past and imagine a future, even amid chaos. The Libra influence encourages cooperation and balanced solutions, guided by the information Mercury gathered earlier in the month. In short, we may roll up our sleeves feeling inspired rather than obligated. Mars in Scorpio – Strategic Gains Like Mercury and Venus, Mars is also ruled by two signs, Aries and Scorpio. You may have heard that modern astrology assigns Scorpio to Pluto, and that is true. Though I consider myself a modern astrologer, I acknowledge both rulerships. Why? Because Mars in Scorpio is strategic. It is patient and diligent with its actions, creating the environment for transformation. Mars enters Scorpio on the 22nd, offering the opportunity to take action that transforms both ourselves and our environment. During this time, you may find renewed courage or a deeper resolve to pursue your goals. Mars in Scorpio brings persistence, so if there is something you are striving for, this transit can help you push to the finish line, provided it is not making hard aspects to your natal chart. Mars energy, however, can also exacerbate health issues if it is not released. Holding onto anger and stress allows that energy to fester. Moving your body with intention, whether through exercise, walking, or mindful stretching, can help dissipate tension. Mars in Scorpio reminds us that health is more than just what we eat; it also depends on how we move and process our emotions. When Mars enters Scorpio, it will square Pluto. Mars and Pluto in a square often trigger power struggles and conflicts, fueled by ego or tests of will. During this period, avoid volatile situations and people if you can. Take deep, slow breaths before driving, and keep your emotions grounded. The upside of this energy is that once we learn to master the intensity of a Mars–Pluto square, we discover inner strength we did not realize we had, and that builds lasting confidence. Sun in Libra – Peaceful Vitality On September 22, we have our second ingress. Not only does Mars change signs, but so does the Sun. When the Sun is in Libra, it is in its fall. The Sun represents our ego and our source of vitality, while Libra seeks balance and harmony. This combination could be exactly what we need after the intensity of the eclipses and the shift of Mars into Scorpio. With the Sun in Libra, we are encouraged to cooperate with others. It becomes less about dominating the conversation and more about exchanging ideas. This energy can be especially helpful in movements or group efforts, where the collective voice matters more than the individual. Libra season can also bring a stronger call for fairness and balance of power. There may be heightened outrage when someone undeserving is pardoned or when others are arrested under questionable or minor charges. With many protests already scheduled in the United States and abroad, we may see Libra energy in action as crowds work together to make their voices heard. On a personal level, the Sun in Libra often inspires us to refresh our surroundings or change our appearance as we transition from summer to autumn. Relationships and partnerships may also take center stage, with a focus on building harmony and shifting from “me” to “we.” We tend to work more in sync with one another, and may show our appreciation with a Pumpkin Spice Latte or a simple stroll to watch the leaves change colors. September in a Nutshell Allow yourself to care for your health and find releases for pent-up energy that help rather than hinder. Be present with others and with your own life. This is not a time for fear, but a time to allow yourself to grow. We start the month with abundant mutable energy, helping us shift our focus and analyze the current situation. By the end of the month, we transition into cardinal energy, supporting fresh starts, action, and forward momentum. Flow with the month by analyzing, planning, and being introspective. Take action on your health and well-being. During the new and full moons, assess your progress. Exercise and avoid holding in anger or resentment. Instead, find healthy ways to release that energy, such as taking a jog, practicing breathwork, or writing out your thoughts and feelings. Once Libra season arrives, the combined energy of the Sun and Mars can help you take confident action, knowing you have done your due diligence as summer closes and autumn begins. Though we have big events, such as Pluto moving out of bounds and two eclipses, these are nudges for us to change. Society is a reflection of all of us, and few are truly happy with the state of the world. Astrologically, we are being given important shifts and a chance to look back and understand where we have been. September is a month of flux, a transition much like the change of seasons. You are simultaneously winding down and revving up. Where you go next is completely up to you. submitted by /u/GrandTrineAstrology to r/astrology [link] [comments]

I moved into Whispering Cedars because of the peaceful name. That should’ve been the first red flag. Nothing named Whispering is ever peaceful. By week two, I had received my first Notice of Noncompliance, apparently, my mailbox post was painted “eggshell” instead of “antique bone.” I tried to explain that they looked the same in daylight. The committee sent me a paint swatch with a magnifying glass and a passive-aggressive Bible verse about obedience. Then came the flamingos. It started with one, my daughter stuck a pink plastic flamingo in our front lawn for her seventh birthday. It made her laugh. That same night, I found a printed photo in my mailbox of our house circled in red ink, with the words “IMMEDIATE REMOVAL REQUIRED – Article IV, Section 6: No Ornamental Birds” scrawled on the back in Sharpie. I ignored it. That was my second mistake. Within 48 hours, the flamingo disappeared. In its place was a single white golf ball with a note taped to it. "One ball per bird. Keep going and you'll see what a flock feels like." We had no idea what it meant. By the end of the week, the HOA president, Mrs. Calloway, knocked on my door at exactly 6:03 p.m., wearing a visor and holding a clipboard like it was a weapon. She smiled like a crocodile who just joined a book club. “We pride ourselves on uniformity here,” she said. “Your… lawn sculpture disrupted the aesthetic symmetry of the cul-de-sac.” I pointed to my neighbor’s twelve garden gnomes. “Oh, those are grandfathered,” she said, without blinking. I was fined $75 and received a mandatory referral to the Aesthetic Reeducation Committee. They meet in the community clubhouse every other Tuesday under fluorescent lighting and serve unseasoned hummus. That’s when I snapped. I went to the dollar store and bought forty flamingos. Planted them at 3 a.m. like pink plastic sentinels. At sunrise, the neighborhood looked like a tropical war zone. The next morning, an emergency HOA meeting was called. The president demanded my presence. I arrived wearing a Hawaiian shirt, sipping from a coconut. They called it “an act of ornamental aggression.” I called it “art.” I was fined $2,400. I appealed. The appeal process involved a mock trial presided over by a man named Greg who introduced himself as the “Design Dictator.” I lost the case before I even sat down. FINAL ACT: The Flamingo Rebellion They thought they had broken me. But while I was fined and my flamingos outlawed, I was busy studying the bylaws. Not just the ones they showed new residents. All of them. The 1993 addendums. The archived meeting notes buried in the HOA’s online portal under a dead link called “holiday lights.” Turns out, the Whispering Cedars HOA charter had a fatal flaw: If 75% of residents vote to dissolve the HOA, it dies. No one had tried. No one thought it was possible. The HOA had ruled for so long people just accepted it, like humidity or leaf blowers. So I started knocking. At first, they were skeptical. But when I showed them the fines I’d paid, the flamingo they took from my daughter, and a photo of Mrs. Calloway’s pool which violated no fewer than six of her own regulations, people started listening. By week two, the tide was turning. We became the Silent 75%. We met in backyards. We whispered in dog parks. We formed a secret group chat called “Operation Pink Dawn.” The night before the vote, I planted one flamingo in each yard. A symbol. A warning. A promise. At the final meeting, Mrs. Calloway stood at her podium like a Roman senator in a cardigan. She began her usual speech about “community cohesion” and “the sanctity of beige.” That’s when Greg! Design Dictator Greg! stood up and said, “Enough.” He walked to the front and placed his clipboard on the ground. Then one by one, everyone else followed. Retirees. Parents. Teenagers who’d been fined for skateboarding near the fountain. Even Mildred, who hadn’t spoken since 2006, whispered, “Down with tyranny.” The vote was counted. 93% to dissolve. Mrs. Calloway choked on her sugar-free Werther’s. The bylaws activated like a magical curse breaking. Her power crumbled. Her clipboard turned to dust. (Okay, that last part was metaphorical. But I swear the street got sunnier.) The next morning, we celebrated. The flamingos were back, but this time in every yard. One wore sunglasses. One had a monocle. The gnomes and the birds finally coexisted in peace. We renamed the neighborhood: “Flamingo Hollow.” No board. No fines. Just neighbors. And me? I kept one flamingo on my lawn, always facing the old HOA office. As a reminder. And a warning. submitted by /u/Cerimeadar to r/fuckHOA [link] [comments]

1.The Stew Crew lives in a bubble where only magical things occur and this week they floated to Hawaii for 2 straight weeks of content gathering. Hawaii is no surprise as a destination because we know that Trace, Zach, Gil, KJ and the littles have already been in the past year… and her best frenemy Josie announced a big Hawaii trip coming in May. That was all Carlin needed to hear to book the tickets. The next time they make hats with catchphrases I better see one that says “ME TOO ME TOO”. Anyway, our first glimpse is the Stewarts getting off of the plane and hitting the beach and Layla is anything but happy. Carlin holds her and tosses her around to try and illicit a smile, but the little diva ain’t having it. This reel has a ton of negative comments… more than Carlin usually gets. Folks say things about the amount of money they spend (someone says they spend money like “a drunken sailor”), how they never actually show up and work at their small business, and the blatant exploitation of their kids. Carlin doesn’t have to respond bc there are hundreds of fans willing to take up for them. We learn that Evan’s entire family is coming to join this trip to celebrate his parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. They came a week early so they can exploit without any nagging from his family. Carlin is linking everything like crazy from panty liners to the car seats to the luggage including a large camera bag. In the midst of all of the linked hygiene products there sits a lone wooden spoon. Why would she need a wooden spoon in a carry-on bag? Evan is hyper aware of what folks are saying so we quickly see Layla and Zade on the beach playing in the sand WITH the spoon. No Beach toys… just a bowl from the hotel and this lone spoon. I mean that totally clears it up. Carlin packed this spoon so her kids could play with it on the beach… one at a time. Carlin links every toy and item she packed for her kids to have on the flight and Evan films Carlin helping Layla read bc home school can happen anywhere. In Carlin’s IG grid post we see the family posing on the beach, the most basic food and Layla either playing up for the camera or sulking. The weekly vlog takes us back to Easter and Evan is front and center with his Potato Head filling the entire screen. They show the kids picking up the eggs they threw all over the AstroTurf and Carlin gushing about how much she loves being a mom. Isn’t that a given? I mean she’s pregnant with #3 at 27. Is this unique information? Evan puts money in ONE egg that Zade spots, but Layla grabs. Zade looks on sadly as Layla rejoices in her win until Evan finally suggests they could buy something together. As much as they love being parents, one might think they could set it up so BOTH kids win. We see the usual filming in church, and Layla is being carried around by Carlin before singing in the kid’s choir. After lunch at the big house, they are off to the airport and Carlin tells us Kelly Jo planned their trip and itinerary. As quickly as possible they get Layla in a bathing suit so they can film her as she twists, twirls and throws faces for the camera. Evan goes out to buy groceries on his own and that means he sets the camera up all over the place and films himself. Riveting. The whole bunch head out on a boat ride for snorkeling and the subtitles are back for poor Zade. Two weeks in Hawaii is 2 weeks he isn’t in speech therapy. Carlin posts in full makeup, jewelry and hair done while wearing pajamas to fake cry about feeling her baby kick for the first time. The staged excitement when she says this is the best day of her life is way over the top. Reminder-3rd pregnancy. Anyway, she calls the baby “he” again and acknowledges in the comments that “everyone” is telling her it is a boy. She links every item of clothing she wears and it’s mostly H&M… just like Josie. She hasn’t linked one BSB item so far. 2.The miniature swing set in Katie’s backyard took quite a beating this week when Hailey, Travis and the big dog, Remi all played on it at the same time. Katie filmed and called Travis the “best dad” for this one tiny thing… Then she promotes it and links it and we know why he was out there to begin with. It’s still $1000 too much. Katie is back in the car to sell that money saving app again. She tells the same story every time she sells it and I just don’t think canceling a subscription to Uber Eats is the reason these folks are living the lifestyle they have. Anyway, we also see Gil harassing Hailey in the backseat with a bear as they load up to leave the big house. Katie posts clips from the Tennessee baseball game where Lawson attempted to sing the National Anthem and she seems to be genuinely proud of him. Her ears are just broken at this point. The vlog this week shows the Clarks at the big house where Travis is helping on this mystery remodel project Zach told us about last week. They only say it’s a small house and needs an open floor plan so it remains unclear if it’s a separate structure on the property or if they are finally refurbishing the dilapidated back of the house. In any case, what happens next truly scared my eyes. Travis and Lawson wind up in a pull up contest started by Zach who does one pull up on a beam directly in front of Travis’ camera. Mercy it was a… lot. Before anyone could blink, Lawson has ripped his shirt off and hauled himself up on this beam where he does 15 pull ups and his tight jeans hang on for dear life. Travis refuses to take his shirt off and then whines that the beam hurts his hands...but old daddy Gil insists on having a turn himself. He rips off 16 pull ups while we hear every bone in his body crack in stereo. Lawson has to accept defeat but the real losers are all of us who witnessed that. Travis is tasked with following Lawson around at the baseball game and filming him and it feels like a real “BIG ME, little you” move from Law. They probably threatened Travis not to so much as HUM less they give Lawson the boot and ask Travis to take his spot. The Clarks are at the big house for Easter and Katie says they are lumping this in with Mother’s Day bc Kelly won’t be home then. Back at the McMansion Warden stops in to build a toy shelf and then Katie shows the walls and doors that Hailey has scribbled all over. Like every single wall and every door pretty much. They act surprised but when you are busy filming, editing and posting… what do you think your toddler is doing? Katie tells us all about an upcoming girl’s trip while she cleans a stain off of her brand new white couch. Turns out that girl’s trip was just 36 hours in NJ with Hailey for her sister in law’s baby shower. Katie seems a bit frantic traveling alone with just Hailey, but Hailey is a breeze. GiGi meets them at the airport where Hailey says “I missed you”. She’s barely 2 and has her pronouns down pat. 3.Josie Balka has to keep up the pilates content all by herself while Carlin is busy doing the hula so she coerces Katie to tag along. We see Willow and Hazel once again in their standard uniform of polyester princess dresses and Josie fully admits it is all that they wear. Well, besides oversized beige attire. Josie hasn’t filmed any new content for Effortless shop in quite a while and the shop is only featuring other influencers constantly taking their hair out of the pool noodle. Is the trend dying down… finally? Josie is back to selling makeup and it’s her new favorite. Forget the whole spiel about how she only uses tinted moisturizer and it’s the best ever. That was LAST month. How can anyone trust her opinion when she is totally in love with whatever company is sending her products and checks? She would also like you to purchase her hair growth pills and she films herself flipping her hair at the camera and tapping all over the bottle with her fake nails to draw you in. After we talked last week about not seeing Kelton in the kitchen, this week Josie shows off “Chef Kelton” at the grill at home and he cooked all of the meat for the Easter spread at the big house. As he explains the food facing the camera his new eyebrows are arched more than McDonald’s and it appears some botox may have found its way to his temples. Josie keeps trying with him… gotta give her that. During Easter Josie gathers her mom, Carlin, Lydia, Katie, Tiffy, Tori and Whitney to film the TikTok trend of pregnancy test roulette. Such fun in a fertility cult. The pee sticks are passed from one to the other with abandon and no hand sanitizer in sight. The results reveal 2 positives we already know about… and a third not yet announced. This sends commenters in to a frenzy of confusion because Josie filmed it, but tagged everyone and they all reposted it. There’s so much to dissect here… these women have never seemed happier than playing this fertility game… they added their 58 year old mother who is beyond thrilled to be one of “the girls”… they filmed this specifically when their one sister who has trouble conceiving wasn’t there, but still flooded social media with it…and lastly…. Is this a thinly veiled ad for ClearBlue Easy? This whole things should clear up the idea that these folks are totally progressive and have left their cult days behind. Moving on… Josie drops old footage of taking Lydia to the Effortless Head Spa for her birthday. They show their scalp consults and it was gross seeing the buildup on Josie’s hair. You can treat yourself for upwards of $200. Josie films a GRWM to remove a full face of makeup and sell yet another product. This one is makeup remover and she needs a tin tub full of it. She talks so fast and so lispy it is impossible to know what she’s really talking about. She plays some game where you have to say what you would do if you started over in your career. She mentions how much she loves “birth” and would want to be a doula but also adores what she does now which, according to her, is wedding makeup. Doesn’t mention the influencing. Before wrapping up the weekthe Balka’s are at the Farmer’s Market with their friends where she films her kids wandering around, eating doughnuts and drinking iced coffee. Rinse and repeat. Josie has one final surprise up her sleeve though... SHE is expecting. Baby Miles is still trying to steady himself on 2 feet, but it’s time to grow up... Momma has a brand new embryo. Josie is now pregnancy #5 which means Lawson was right all along and I can’t think of anything worse than Lawson Bates being right. Well, except for poor Josie’s pelvic floor. 4.It was a big, big week down at the Webster work camp. The kids got a trip to the park, their very own individual lunchable… and a small drink from the coffee shop. They did have to wear their big clunky brown boots and agree to have their noses removed in mom’s pictures… but still. Alyssa set her camera up so she could prance around in front of it and say she is living in her skort and tank top… and has Allie care for Rhett while she takes pictures of him making his scrunched up unhappy face. Back at home, Alyssa tags Aldi, the phone cases and her water jug. I hope the 58 cents commission she makes is what is buying the treats for the kids. The Webster pool is open for the season and we see King Rhett in one of his sister’s floaties I guess we know how tight Alyssa and John really are if they are willing to let their male child be photographed in a pink unicorn life vest…. He is also in the pool in a diaper and that’s gross and hopefully only happens at home. In more breaking news, a friend convinced Alyssa to come over to her subdivision’s pool and let their kids play together. Alyssa agreed bc the pool was deserted in the middle of the day and she was allowed to film all of the kids through her filter that washes away any joy or happiness. Rhett is shown in the pink floatie and things just keeping getting worse for him bc this time he is also wearing the damn sad hat. Alyssa seems to have gotten her groove back and is no longer afraid of the world outside of her front door…. Which probably means John will want another baby soon. The homeschool scholarship is really coming in clutch and the family (minus John) makes another trip to Sea World with the cousins. Alyssa poses for a picture with her lover… the humongous iced coffee, and the kids line up obediently for the proof of life pictures. Bet those sea lions weren’t expecting to be filtered. Alyssa is also in her gardening era and shows tons of little vegetables and herbs she is planting around the porch at home. Spring in Florida is so colorful and full of life and vibrancy but she works hard to strip the color away from everything. Her filtered outlook on life matches her vibe… sepia toned and grainy with gloom pushing in from the edges. 5.Whitney Bates just wants to be relatable. As a “busy mom of 5” she has forgotten to get her real ID. Aw shucks, aw dang, y’all. She’s traveling next week and has a girl’s trip coming up and needs that ID. Hopefully she will get it on time y’all. Whitney wanted engagement with this story, and she got it. She tells her viewers that she doesn’t own a passport bc she has no desire to ever travel outside of the good old US of A. Zach shows off another steak dinner, this time with noodles and cheese all topped with olive oil. His arteries are begging for mercy. He’s back out at his new griddle… this time to demonstrate how to season it correctly. He wastes a ton of beef tallow doing this. Chad Paine is going to come running in from the shadows and grab that big vat of tallow so he and Erin can add some MLM oils to it and sell it! Oil and grease are the themes this week as Whitney is also selling body oil. She coats herself in it while she slips up and says she’s been spending a lot of time “out in the pool”… is that the secret they are keeping?? For some unknown reason, Zach reposts the pregnancy test reel featuring his wife, mom and all of his sisters. Trying to drum up interest he adds the side eye emoji to the reel. Whitney just adamantly said she was NOT pregnant in their q and a video so… guess he’s just trying to be one of the influencer girlies. This week’s vlog is just another week of cobbled together chat with Warden. Zach is devouring a hamburger while talking and keeps dipping it in a shared cup of sauce. Warden looks like his stomach is turning but little Jaydon keeps wriggling around in his lap licking up the sauce while they talk. Most of the questions are food related and every answer is just “steak” but we do learn that Gil isn’t really doing tree jobs now, and that Zach doesn’t like his dad’s work schedule. Warden plays Fort Night with Zach’s kids and they talk about how music wasn’t allowed growing up so the boys would come to Zach’s, watch Madagascar and dance their hearts out. Warden works construction and paints lines in parking lots at night. Zach will only say that Warden is “not married”. Duh. He’s 21 years old. Let’s hope he stays single for quite a while. 6.Bless Lydia Bates heart… she is now on week 333 (33) of this never ending pregnancy that she has been preparing for the end of for 263 weeks. This week she puts a bassinet in the corner of her room and links some maternity clothes. She films a mini vlog of her baby checkup that is just her talking in the car, showing the inside of the doctor’s office, and then she’s back in the car and says it was too awkward to film anything. Girl, that isn’t how Carlin Stewart made it to Hawaii for 2 weeks. Awkward is not a word influencers know! The baby is measuring 2 weeks behind and Lydia needs a growth scan. She’s ready for the end, but it sounds like baby girl needs some more time. By mid-week she totally gives up, sets up the camera pointing towards the couch, and films herself sleeping. Finally Trace comes home and they can head to Florida. On the 12 hour drive, Lydia regales us with fun facts like her due date of June 13 and that her favorite German meal is shoe leather steak and sad noodles. Their vlog begins with a tour of the bedroom. The tour is really just Lydia turning to the left, and then turning to the right but she’s super excited about ALL of the color she is adding. ALL of the color is a blue pillow and a small blue blanket. She shows off the baby’s clothes and a few pink outfits have snuck in. The sponsor this week is a beige rug. Lydia’s sister is going on the vacation with them to act as Ryker’s baby sitter. We get a house tour and it’s a super cool house that they are sharing with a friend named Hubert and his family. Her sister gets to share a room with the other family’s babysitter for the week. Doesn’t that sound fun and not at all miserable. 7.Spring time is when life begins anew with little babies and everything is bright and fresh and young. Is anyone surprised then, that Erin Paine is knocked up once again? I am pretty sure that Dr. Vick told Erin he GAVE her an extra third of an ovary, but she was groggy from the anesthesia and heard the whole thing wrong. Then again, what else do these fools have to do? Erin at least is trying to get you to buy her God cards and her doodled on note cards. You can buy 5 cards for just $9. The shipping is $4 though, so I’m finding it hard to believe this is a savvy business plan. She wants to know if folks would like a subscription service for her tallow. The only person I know who needs that much beef fat is brother Zach. We see the Paine kids filing in to church on Wednesday evening and the girls all seem to have new haircuts. Wonder if Erin does it herself, ala Michelle Duggar with a FlowBee? Erin is super excited that the tallow is back in stock and she’s upped the prices. There are now 2 sizes available and... drum roll please... man fat is also now available. Men need their own masculine fat and Erin has created it. Not sure who her test model is because we all know Chad’s hands are baby soft. In the vlog where they announce the 7th baby, Erin is practically cooing as she rains praises on each child. She goes overboard saying that they cried out to God and begged for a child for so long before Carles came along. It’s all a bit much and she wraps it up by saying that she and Chad feel it is their calling in life to raise these children and point them to Jesus. Jesus is pointing back Erin and telling you there’s more to it than just raising them. You are supposed to educate them, feed them and give them some kind of an opportunity too. Oh, and be able to remember their names. That’s helpful. Michael celebrates Easter by sharing tons of flower and tree pictures. She tells the story of the Dogwood blossom and how it relates to the resurrection of Christ. She and Brandon head to the Smoky Mountains for their church’s couples retreat and while there, they spot a bear. She also sends huge congratulations to Erin on her announcement and gushes over the newest Balka to be. Gotta give her props for trying to roll with the flow and be a good sport. In their new vlog they sit together at a desk and recap their Easter trip to Michigan. They have shots of Brandon working with his dad, and his mom decorating tons of Easter goodies.They tell a story about baby bunnies that were separated from their mother and how the mom came back and rescued them. Michael says the Keilen farm is a great place to get away from it all. I can just imagine her gathering her skirts, heading out to the middle of a cow field and screaming her lungs out. I know I certainly would. But instead... she just continues to keep sweet and turn the other cheek. (My dad used to tell my mom he was trying to be the bigger person and turn the other cheek but both of them were blistered!) His mom baked, cooked and made it nice and next up they are going to tell another night-night story about their trip to Florida to visit his sister’s new baby. Tiffany and Lawson spent another week stuck together at home in Nashville churning out nauseating content. Dumb things like Tiffy complaining about her hubby trying to get her to like black coffee or how she’s the little woman who keeps them broke. She films a blank wall and shows how she added some Home Goods crap to it. Tiffany’s parents are in town again and she ruined a steak dinner for all of them not to enjoy. It’s just more shoe leather and gristle... maybe that should be their couple’s name. She expresses how sad she gets when her parents go home. I’m surprised they haven’t made the move to Tennessee yet. Esther is still just about the only Bates that keeps in contact with Tiffany, and we see the 2 of them on a facetime together with baby Graham. Baby Will is getting 2 teeth and starting to crawl. They have a robin’s nest full of eggs in that tree Lawson loves to climb and that makes me wonder... where the heck is Duke the dog? We need to put an APB out on his whereabouts bc since he took Kelly Jo down... he hasn’t been seen. Lawson has a new song coming out all about Poppa Bill and the title has everyone thinking the poor man is dead already. I can’t decide if exploiting your innocent children is worse, better or the same as exploiting your elderly grandfather who is suffering from dementia... but Lawson does it all. It’s another maudlin dirge with a 6th grade rhyming scheme where he screeches around notes while standing out in the road patting his chest and pointing in to the distance. Tiffany promotes it heavily all week by commenting that it’s “so sad about Lawson’s granddad”. Truly it seems they want people to be confused about his health. She also posts a reel where she flicks Lawson in the throat because she’s furious that he is right. It would have been so much better if she karate chopped him, but we’ll take what we can get. We now know the trip they made to the farm was strictly so Lawson could film a music video for this mess of a song and I wish I could read Momma Jane’s thoughts when that crew pulled away. Lawson gives a shout out to Carlin and Evan for helping them capture so many memories for them. Does that mean they are editing? If so... Evan is slow as hell bc they haven’t had a timely vlog in weeks. They do head to the big house for Easter and her parents join them. Tiffany is overjoyed to be invited to join the “it girls” in their pregnancy baiting reel. She ends the week by showing us how she is teaching baby Will to smile on cue. He needs to learn his lessons well and fast bc daddy’s new song is not going to be selling out stadiums. Bits and Bytes…Kelly Jo posts a reel showing all of the families that spent Easter at the big house...BSB has a Mother’s day drop with dresses priced from $70-85. When they don’t immediately sell out, they drop the prices on all of the brand new items by $20-35 and finally sell those $50 T-shirts for half price...Kelly Jo says Happy Birthday to Emerson who she barely knows. She just talks about the baby on the way and how happy she is to be allowed to be a part of it all...Zach is in charge of all of the electrical work on this remodeling project. No Evan in sight...Isaiah and Addee are fresh off of a trip to Europe with the Clown College Singing Circus and we see Addee in pictures with her rumored boyfriend...Baby Will Bates is officially 9 months old and Tiffy shares a ton of pictures but only one with any of the Bates... Have a great week friends. With all of these Bates babies on the way it is pretty evident that they all know the story about the stork bringing babies. Apparently none of them know which bird prevents them from arriving in the first place...the swallow. submitted by /u/dixcgirl10 to r/BringingUpBates [link] [comments]