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Saturday 8 November 2008

Saturday Wordzzle # 38..

The idea is, every week Raven (View From Raven's Nest) gives you between 8 and 10 words/phrases and you have to create a small but coherent paragraph using every one of them and the same with the mini challenge. You can do either, both or a megawordzzle using all the words, or even all three, it's up to you, you can post them on your blog or email them to Raven. If you join in go to Raven's and put your name on the Mr. Linky so other participants can come visit you.



Sorry no doodles this week I just didn't have time!


This Week's Ten Word Challenge is: France, cold weather, backhoe, light and shadow, Humane society, ambivalent, “Happy Birthday, Sarah Jane,” Martians, Thanksgiving Day Parade, green eyes



Lilly wrote the message on the birthday card, “Happy Birthday, Sarah Jane”, and addressed the envelope to Ms. S. Martians, 7 Esplanade Henri, Lyon, France. That would make Sarah laugh, her surname was in fact Martains but Lilly always wrote Martians. This would be the first year that Sarah had missed the Thanksgiving Day Parade in all the time they had known each other and Lilly could imagine Sarah’s green eyes glistening with tears as she thought about it. Sarah had left her job at the Humane Society to fulfil her lifelong ambition, there was no light and shadow or ambivalence in Sarah’s mind, she made her choice and went for it. The climate was milder in France and Lilly was sure Sarah would miss the cold weather, but was still not sure Sarah was doing the right thing taking the job in France as a backhoe operator.



Mini Challenge: she’ll be comin' round the mountain when she comes, pumpkin pie, yellow jacket, short-changed, life after 50



Putting on her best yellow jacket Denise looked huge. She had eaten far too many pumpkin pies for her own good and life after 50 wouldn’t be up to much if she didn’t do something about her weight. She’d short-changed herself by not watching her diet and if she wasn’t careful they wouldn’t be singing “she’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes” they’d be singing “She’ll be as big as a mountain when she comes!”



Megawordzzle

Happy Birthday, Sarah Jane France”, Sarah thought to herself as she prepared the pumpkin pie for her family, she called them her family but the children were in fact from her husband’s previous marriage. Today they were going together to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade, as they always did, and celebrate her birthday.

After packing the picnic Sarah took a walk to the forest and watched the backhoe excavating the clearing. She remembered the day she arrived in the small town of ‘Ambivalent’, on Thanksgiving, it was snowing that night and the cold weather reminded her of home.

It took her some months to really settle in the town but the people were kindly, they even had a Humane Society, and made her very welcome. Sarah had lived in Ambivalent for about six months when she met John. She had been walking through the forest to the clearing when she heard someone singing “She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes’ and there he was in his yellow jacket chopping wood. If there was such a thing as love at first sight Sarah experienced it at that moment. There was no light and shadow about her feelings for John, they were perfectly clear – she was in love and, thankfully, as their relationship developed she found John felt the same way.

She discovered John was a 40 year old widower with two boys and she told him it had been her 40th birthday on Thanksgiving Day when she’d arrived in the town, consequently her family thought she was fifty today but she was I fact much older. It was a whirlwind romance and no-one was surprised when she and John married barely three months after meeting. She looked after John and his boys and John never felt short-changed that they’d never had children of their own because of her age.

The clearing in the forest had appeared overnight all those years ago and now the excavation was the talk of the town. It had been investigated at the time but it was decided, by consensus of opinion, it was just ‘one of life’s mysteries’. Now some professor had arrived in town and wanted to investigate further, hence the excavation.

They had been married now for ten years and Sarah was scared that her blissful existence was about to change. She was hoping the saying ‘there is life after 50’ would be true for her and that the excavation of the clearing wouldn’t find the evidence of her arrival and spoil everything. It would be a terrible shock for everyone if they found out the truth. Sarah was popular in town and everyone commented on her luminous green eyes, what they didn’t know was that it was a trait of her origins – all Martians have them!

23 comments:

Dr.John said...

I loved the suprise ending on the first one. Who would think of someone going to France to be a backhoe operator.
The second one was funny.
But the last story was fabulous. My Martians ( if they exist) also have green eyes.

Lu' said...

I liked the stories, especially the mega, very good.

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

no doodles? i have not done any for a while either. guess i got tired of it but still love my mr. whiskers. might have to doodle him up again! ha ha ha

smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

bettygram said...

I hope Sarah in the first story has her dream fulfilled and she made the right choice. I loved the last story's ending.

Jeff B said...

Great word play in the first one, and the ending of it was a riot as well.

Melli said...

Oh I'm CERTAIN Sarah Jane made the right decision! A backhoe operator on the French Riviera... keeping the sands of the beach from eroding away... I'd take that job in a minute!!!

I feel just like Denise.

Your mega is FABULOUS! Woman, I just LOVE what you do with a story! Always a twist...

Richard said...

Wondrous Wahini: Your endings are pure delight.

Rich

Linda said...

She took a job as a backhoe operator in France?!? Now that takes some guts, don't ya think??

Great wuzzles as always though I miss the doodles however I fully understand the 'no time' thing, too!

cheshire wife said...

OMG I must be a Martian - I have green eyes!

CG said...

Cracking stories! Loved 'em :)

Raven said...

Wonderful as always! And Sarah Jane was a Martian! Loved it.

Julia Phillips Smith said...

Akelamalu, you rule. The backhoe ending made me laugh out loud for real, and the Martian ending for the megawordzzle was 'touche'.

Cloudia said...

Aloha Dear!
Your site is like a little writers` party. Music, games . . . I too have been SO busy (Dad's new cancer diagnosis!)that I haven't properly enjoyed your past posts - especially REIKI! Your Dad seems a fascinating fellow btw . . .
I must send that signed book off too.
And yet, supreme JOY about Barack. Life is bursting with meaning and experience- Fondly, Cloudia

Dianne said...

leaving for France to drive and backhoe! and sweet romance with a secret Martian!!

and in between poor fat old girl LOL

I love them all :)

snowelf said...

I love how you threw in all the little clues in the last one. The weather reminding her of home and such. So cute!!! Makes me want to watch out for people with green eyes. ;)

--snow

jaycoles@gmail.com said...

Coming late to the party this week. Everyone else said it all. But you know I loved them.

Travis Cody said...

Love the irony in the first one! Leaving a job at the Humane Society to pursue a dream as a backhoe operator.

LOL!

Sandi McBride said...

You always come up with stories that are fun and kooky!
Sandi

Akelamalu said...

So pleased you liked them Dr. John.:)

Thanks Lu x

Unfortunately I just didn't have time to doodle this week Bee :(

Sarah's never been happier Bettygram ;)

Aw thanks Jeff x

You're very kind with your praise Melli it is much appreciated!


Why thank you Rich I'm so glad you liked them.

Sarah's definitely got guts Linda!

Ah but are they luminous Cheshire Wife? :0

Thanks CG x

Yes she was Raven but about to be found out!

So glad you enjoyed them Julia :)

So sorry to hear about your Dad Cloudia. Thanks for your kind words. xx

Cheers Dianne, I'm so pleased you enjoyed them. x

Oh you picked up on the clues Snowelf, that's great!

Thankyou Jay and better late than never m'dear. x

Yes it was ironic wasn't it Trav!

I try Sandi glad you liked them. x

Shrinky said...

I loved all three, you have a great way with words. Thanks for making me smile.

Roan said...

I'm impressed with all three. Loved the ending on the megawordzzle. I keep thinking I'll try one, but can't ever come up with enough time. I'll just keep reading yours. BJ

storyteller said...

I missed your doodles, but the word pictures you create are as entertaining as ever. You, my dear, have an amazingly creative imagination ;--)
Hugs and blessings,

Akelamalu said...

Aw thanks Shrinky x

I hope you do give it a go sometime b.roan, it's easier than you might think really. Glad you enjoyed them :)

You're very kind Storyteller, and I'll try to ind time to doodle this week. :)