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Saturday 24 January 2009

Saturday Wordzzle # 47





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.


Here's my efforts complete with my doodles.



This weeks10 Word Challenge is: air tight seal, bitter cold, draft card, diner, paragon of virtue, broken computer monitor, CPR, a love of folk music, scatter-brained, can of worms


Monica sat in the office of the diner, where the door provided an almost air tight seal against the bitter cold draughts that were blowing in each time someone entered. Ever since old Tom had collapsed a couple of weeks ago she had decided she had to learn CPR and she wanted to search the internet to find how to go about it. Staring at the broken computer monitor she wished her son was here, he’d know how to mend it, there was no way she was trying to fix it that would be like opening a can of worms. Unfortunately her son’s draft card had arrived and he was away on training. Her son was a paragon of virtue, with a love of folk music and a bit scatter-brained but she loved him and was worried about him, another reason to get the computer fixed, so she could receive his regular emails.



Mini challenge: California here I come, Springtime in Alberta, panorama, etchings, miracle foot repair,


It was time to move on for Dolly. Packing up her etchings of the panorama outside her window, she knew she would miss springtime in Alberta but she’d had enough of chilblains and having to use miracle foot repair. Now the sun was beckoning so “California here I come” she sang.


Megawordzzle
Dylan had seen springtime in Alberta fourteen times. He loved this place, living in the mountains, the panoramas were superb. His life here was hard, the bitter cold winters took their toll; he suffered terribly with chilblains but luckily he’d been given a miracle foot repair lotion, which really worked, by an old guy he’d met,



Five years ago he’d met Betsy Etchings when he’d taken his broken computer monitor to be mended. The guy who owned the shop had a funny turn whilst he was there and lucky for him Betsy was a nurse. She had quickly assessed the situation and decided he wouldn’t be needing CPR, so there was no need to call medics, within minutes the man was feeling a lot better. Dylan and Betsy got talking and he offered to buy her a coffee . Over coffee in the diner they discovered they both had a love of folk music and had both lived in San Francisco at the same time, though obviously they’d never met.



Betsy had only been in town a few months she told him, she’d been born there but left to train as a nurse and had been working in San Francisco, now she had come back home to look after her ailing mother. Apparently her mother had been complaining about becoming a bit scatter-brained but Betsy guessed it may be something more. Dylan proclaimed her a paragon of virtue, Betsy would have none of it because although she loved her mother dearly and wanted to look after her, she really missed the sunshine and constantly wanted to return to San Francisco. She had tried to get her mother to move to the sun but she refused saying there was no way she could leave the mountains. It was like there was an air-tight seal around her that no amount of coaxing and cajoling could penetrate, so Betsy had resigned herself to staying.





Dylan and Betsy’s courtship gathered momentum, it was a match made in heaven everyone said and, after a year of getting to know each other, they married and moved in with Betsy’s mother. It wasn’t long before Betsy got pregnant, much to Dylan’s delight, another pregnancy followed quickly and all Betsy’s time was taken up with looking after the children and her mother.



Five years later Betsy’s mother was dead. She had been difficult to look after but Betsy was glad she’s come back, reasoning that if she hadn’t she would never have met Dylan or had the children. Now she was yearning for the sun again and constantly badgered Dylan about moving back to California. Eventually Dylan gave in. The arrangements made, there was no turning back.



California here I come’, maybe to open a can of worms” thought Dylan. He was now thirty-two and too old, but it didn’t alter the fact that he’d dodged the draft card.

24 comments:

Linda said...

I'm the first?? Wow, I'm never the first! Though by the time I post this, I could no longer be the first!

I'm about ready to start singing "California here I come" myself if this blasted cold, cold weather continues for much longer!

Brilliant Wuzzles again, my friend! Your writing just keeps getting better and better every week!

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

oh good, the doodles are back!

smiles, bee
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

bettygram said...

I again like your doodles going along with the very real feeling of the story.

Dianne said...

I like Dolly moving on to CA, it just made me happy :)

katie eggeman said...

That is some good writing this week and I am envious about the cruise, I have been on 2 without Mr BC and have been trying to book one with him, so far no sale. His loss! You will have a great time.

Richard said...

My lovely Wahini, you've hit close to home again.

I went back to a place I lived in Washington State a few years ago. In catching up with a couple of old buddies, I found out that one had went to Canada during Viet Nam. My other buddy and I ended up over there. Both of us agreed that it didn't really matter at this late date.

Great story and like I said, very close to home.

Rich

Anonymous said...

Dylan is safe. All draft dodgers have been pardoned.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and didn't see that ending coming!

Dr.John said...

Three good stories but I liked the last one best. These weren't easy words.

Anonymous said...

I saw your 10 word challenge so I decided to try it too. Those are 10 hard words to write a story to. You did great.

holly said...

very very enjoyable. what are chilblains?

Lo Kelween said...

you're really good in relationship stories :)

Jeff B said...

I'm with Holly, what are chilblains?

Anyhoodle, another great collection of Wordzzles.

Shadow said...

yikes, you make it look so easy! nice stories, both of them!

Flowerpot said...

well i have a strong wind blowing in by my computer as well - my hands are freezing!

Akelamalu said...

Yes you're first Linda! I'm sick of the cold weather took, roll on Spring, though we are going to Spain on the 16th Feb for a week so hopefully we will see the sun.

Yep, I had time to doodle this week Bee :)

Thanks Bettygram :)

No doubt it made Dolly happy too Dianne ;)

Mr B doesn't want to go on a cruise Bankerchick is he mad????? ;)

Hope I didn't bring back bad memories for you Rich, thanks for your kind appreciation of my mutterings. x

Akelamalu said...

Is that right that draft dodgers have been pardoned Quilly? Dylan will be relieved! ;)

No they weren't easy words this week Dr. John. Glad you enjoyed them.

You did a great job too Connie, thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment. :)

Holly and Jeff Chilblains are Chilblains are small, itchy, painful lumps that develop on the skin. They develop as an abnormal response to cold. Glad you enjoyed the stories. :)

Why thankyou Eel Windx

Thankyou Shadow I'm pleased you enjoyed them. :)

Don't be sitting in a draft Flowerpot you'll suffer later! ;)

Marshall Family said...

I love your doodles ake! What a great wordzzle!

the rotten correspondent said...

I don't know how you do these things. I get all confused and come up with nonsense stories.

Every single time.

tony said...

DYLAN RULES!!! :)

Julia Phillips Smith said...

Wow - I was getting ready for another death, but you still shocked me.

Deb said...

I also didn't know what chilblains were - bet this will come in handy when I do my crossword puzzles! I loved the part where you described Betsy's mom as having an air tight seal around her- and she refused to move. That describes my parents and the frustrating situation I amm dealing with involving them! From another of your loyal fans ! :)

Akelamalu said...

Thanks Emmie x

Well nonsense stories are funny and good RC you should post them! :)

He does indeed Tony! :)

I'm glad the twist worked Julia ;)

Oh yes store chilblains away for a rainy day, it's sure to come up in a crossword some day Deb. Sorry to hear you've got problems with Mum and Dad. Thanks honey. x

Raven said...

Well done as always... Poor Monica has a lot on her plate at the moment... I hope it all works out for Dylan and Betsy. The mini is my favorite, though. I always admire it when people get the words all into such a concise offering. Love your doodles as always.

Akelamalu said...

I'm so pleased you liked them Rave, you're very kind. x