Saturday Wordzzle # 87

Having just been over to Raven's blog to sign in to Mr Linky I discovered that I have used the wrong words completely! I have no idea how this has happened.

As I have made the effort to write the Wordzzles Iwill leave them up. I hope the other Wordzzlers will make allowances for what must have been a senior moment. Sorry!

The idea is, every week Raven (Views 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.



This week's 10 word challenge is: riverboat, procrastination, drank, demons, invisible, candle, enough, film stars, summer job, computer

Her colleagues had encouraged her to take time off from her job as a computer programmer and enter the talent competition and, after much procrastination, she had taken their advice. Chrissie won the competition hands down, the other entrants seemed invisible in comparison, they couldn’t hold a candle to her. Chrissie was, literally, an overnight success. Within weeks her first single ‘Riverboat Queen’ was #1 in the charts, she was being courted by film stars, pop idols and movie moguls. Five years previously Chrissie had been at rock bottom, broke and alcoholic, but with an iron will she had given up drinking and gone to , where she found she had a flair for working on computers.


Kelly’s album, ‘Summer Job’, was destined to be a huge chart hit, if only she could limit the amount she drank and stay sober long enough to enjoy it. Now, with success , her demons had returned.


For the mini: general demeanor, surprisingly, masked man, reach, standards

General Demeanor, Albert to his friends, the owner of the store tried to reach the masked man as he made off with the takings from the till, but he was surprisingly quick and was soon out of reach. Albert had only given chase because he had standards, he wasn’t going to sit back and let them get away with robbing him, even if it was just the dummy till, full of monopoly money.

Megawordzzle

Enough, the time for procrastination was over decided Jane. She’d thought about it long enough, now it was time to act. For too long now her general demeanor had been one of a shrinking violet, it was time to shake off the cloak of shyness, which had made her invisible for so long.

Surprisingly, Jane felt that at last she may be able to reach the standards her father, Nelson Peabody the Hollywood Director, had instilled in the great film stars he had the pleasure of working with. He had directed box office blockbusters such as “Riverboat Tales”, “The Mysterious Masked Man”, “Computer Demons”, “A Candle at Midnight” and “I Drank Blood”. A great man deserved a great daughter.

The decision was made. She would take the summer job she’d been offered at the Studios in Hollywood as a gopher, it was a start!

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Do you know 5th November is Blogblast for Peace? Bloggers all over the world will be posting the same post

Dona Nobis Pacem

Latin for "Grant Us Peace"

and flying a Peace Globe with their own message for Peace. The Title of the post is important. The goal is for all blog post titles to say the same thing on the same day. Write about peace that day or simply fly your globe.

Be part of it, join in by going here and following the instructions of how to get your Peace Globe and join in the biggest Blogblast for Peace ever - it's really easy honest.

Eleanor Roosevelt

It isn't enough to talk about peace, one must believe it.

And it isn't enough to believe in it, one must work at it.

Friday 55 Flash Fiction # 94 Shock......

Friday 55 Flash Fiction is brought to you by G-man (Mr Knowitall). The idea is you write a story in exactly 55 words. If you want to take part pop over and let G-man know when you've posted your 55.

The wind was howling, leaves swirling outside, she hated this time of year.

Suddenly a knock on the door.

Wiping her hands, she went to answer.

Opening the door a crack she jumped back in horror at the grotesque sight that greeted her.

A scream escaped her lips.

The children laughed and accepted the treats.

*************************************************************************

Do you know 5th November is Blogblast for Peace? Bloggers all over the world will be posting the same post

Dona Nobis Pacem
Latin for "Grant Us Peace"

and flying a Peace Globe with their own message for Peace. The Title of the post is important. The goal is for all blog post titles to say the same thing on the same day. Write about peace that day or simply fly your globe.

Be part of it, join in by going here and following the instructions of how to get your Peace Globe and join in the biggest Blogblast for Peace ever - it's really easy honest.

Martin Luther King, Jr.:
One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means.

Voting time......

Now's your chance to vote for who gets

The Great Imagination Award #4

This award is unique to whoever wins it and cannot be passed on, and you can't sell it on Ebay either! LOL


You will remember on my Saturday Wordzzle #85 I invited readers to say what Arthur didn't know about Fluffy Bunny in my Mini Wordzzle, and those that used their imaginations came up with some absolutely fabulous entries.


All the entries made me laugh and surpassed anything I could have written. I would like to give the award to all of you, but then the spirit of competition would be lost wouldn't it? So, I want everyone who reads them to vote in the comments who's they like the best and the winner will get the award. Of course if two or more people get the same number of votes then each of them will get the award.



Here are the entries:


quilly said...
Art's wholesome, model wife whom he calls Fluffy Bunny actuially used to be a Playboy Bunny, but on her 26th birthday, she had too much to drink and told Heffy he was a lousy lover. He tossed her out on her ear and made sure she would never work in modeling or showbiz again.Several months later, almost destitute, Sandy stumbled into a church and met Jesus. She cleaned up her life and with the help of the congregation got a good paying job and went to college, where she met her husband and fell madly in love.

Thom said...
My entry:Fluffy Bunny is a sheep in wolfs clothing!

Nessa said...
Arthur doesn't know that Fluffy Bunny is a code name for history's all time best spy. Able to insinuate herself into any situation because she looks so sweet and innocent, Fluffy Bunny has been able to prevent the worst disasters from happening.


Dr.John said...
We know she is really a wer-bunny shapeshifter. When he leaves she turns back to a rabbit and eats carrots. He should have noticed their carrot bill going through the roof. But like most husbands he is not very observant . He is happy as long as his overalls are crisp and clean.


Linda said...
Fluffy Bunny is actually running a discreet escort service but as long as she continues to make his lunch and ensure that his overalls are crisp and clean, Arthur is a happy man and has no clue as to what is going on in his house when he's away.


Susan at Stony River said...
I'd say Arthur's wife makes such great gourmet lunches and can afford to get his overalls professionally cleaned, because she's leading a secret life as an author of lesbian bondage erotica, under the pseudonym Bunny McFluffles.


Reston Friends! said...
Fluffy Bunny is a dream weaver. Purveyor of an ancient art that involves all natural fibers including cotton, spider silk, and those little things Dumbledore pulls out of his head when he's putting memories into the basin. Bunny's job is to incorporate them into fabulous textiles that hang on the walls of a special art gallery so that the dreams and the stories in them are kept through time. When enough time has passed, they vanish overnight. But the dragons know where they are because they are prescient and have lived so much longer than us. The guardian who opens and closes the portal to move the art is a timeless being, who in his most previous existence, was known as Bartholomew Arnold.


Raven said...
Fluffy Bunny has a secret life as the star of an up and coming punk rock band which coordinates it's hours to coordinate with her husband's work schedule. Her band name is Demon Hawk. She hires someone to do the cleaning and laundry.

Empress Bee (of the High Sea) said...
fluffy bunny is a cake baker, the best in the world and her cakes bring in top dollar. smiles,


Fandango said...
Fluffy bunny hasn't told him that just like a rabbit she is pregnant with triplets.


Shrinky said...
Fluffy bunny is totally obsessed by him, in fact she started out as his stalker. He thinks his first wife ran off with the blind, lesbian dwarf juggler living next door, but in reality, Fluffy Bunny ambushed her when she pretended to be a door-to-door starched apron sales-woman. She rolled her in an industrial starched overall and fed her pork luncheon meat until she burst. Sadly, the poor midget, hearing the commotion, drowned in the explosion when she came over to investigate. Both are pushing beautiful daisies up beneath the patio.Arthur can't believe how well his life has gone since his second marriage, anyone who worries him simply disappears.

Argent said...
What does she get up to when he's not around? Having an affair? No, too obvious. Maybe she actually is a were-bunny and turns into her rabbit form while he's out. Drat! Just read that DrJohn had the same idea! Note to self: read comments before commenting.Maybe she's got a bizzare rabbit fetish and wraps herself up in their freshly flayed skins, then films herself, making tons of wonga on the internet.


So, who gets the award? It's up to you -vote now!

********************************************************************

Do you know 5th November is Blogblast for Peace?

Bloggers all over the world will be posting the same post

Dona Nobis Pacem

Latin for "Grant Us Peace".

and flying a Peace Globe with their own message for Peace. The Title of the post is important. The goal is for all blog post titles to say the same thing on the same day.


Write about peace that day or simply fly your globe.


Be part of it, join in by going here and following the instructions of how to get your Peace Globe and join in the biggest Blogblast for Peace ever - it's really easy honest.

R. Buckminster Fuller:

Either war is obsolete or men are.

Nursery Rhymes Quiz Part 3 Answers.......

OK, for all those who took part here's the answers to the Nursery Rhymes Quiz Part 3:

1. L.B.D.D.L.G. - Lavender's Blue Dilly Dilly Lavender's Green

2. B.A.G.C.O.T.P. - Boys And Girls Come Out To Play

3. C.A.D.D. - Cock A Doodle Doo

4. S.S.M.A.P.G.T.T.F. - Simple Simon Met A Pieman Going To The Fair

5. D.D.B.P.I.T.W. - Ding Dong Bell Pussy's In The Well

6. G.P.P.A.P. - Georgie Porgie Pudding And Pie

7. G.G.G.W.S.I.W. - Goosey Goosey Gander Where Shall I Wander

8. B.B.B.D.G.A.H. - Bye Baby Bunting Daddy's Gone A Hunting

9. T.W.A.C.M. - There Was A Crooked Man

Here's all the folk who got some right, those with most right first, in the order I received their emails.

So well done, please take the badge to put on your blog and display it with pride for your achievement.

Thom (Thom's Place 4 Well Whatever)

Thumbelina (Secret Worlds)

Bindi (Beautiful World)

Nitebyrd (A Dustbunny In The Wind)

Look out for Nursery Rhymes Quiz Part 4.

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Do you know 5th November is Blogblast for Peace?





Bloggers all over the world will be posting the same post

Dona Nobis Pacem
Latin for "Grant Us Peace".

and flying a Peace Globe with their own message for Peace. The Title of the post is important. The goal is for all blog post titles to say the same thing on the same day.



Write about peace that day or simply fly your globe.



Be part of it, join in by going here and following the instructions of how to get your Peace Globe and join in the biggest Blogblast for Peace ever - it's really easy honest.

Carl Sandburg:
Choose:The single clenched fist lifted and ready,

Or the open hand held out and waiting.

Choose:For we meet by one or the other

Saturday Wordzzle # 86

The idea is, every week Raven (Views 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.

This week's Ten Word Challenge: Incensed, sidewinder, bogus, conniption, Haz-mat, conniving, customize, perforated, zeal, rolling off a log

Mary was incensed when the doctor suggested that she was prone to conniptions. Just because she had ranted and raved calling him a charlatan and bogus did not warrant him saying she had hysterical fits! Granted she had landed him a sidewinder, but that was because he had scared her when he entered her hospital room wearing a Hazmat because he thought she was contagious. Then the conniving SOB had told everyone that she had perforated his protection suit in her zeal to escape! She admitted that she had tried to help him customize it by taking the helmet off, but that was so he wouldn’t scare other patients. Unfortunately lies came to his lips as easy as rolling off a log, the powers that be believed him and they sectioned her.

And for the mini: abstemious, chlorophyll, origami, cheerleader, dung beetle

Annie had become abstemious in her food intake, in an effort to maintain her slight frame for her passion as a cheerleader. Her friends kept telling her she was virtually living off chlorophyll, she ate so little. Why, a dung beetle ate more than she! Annie realised she’d gone too far with her dieting, when she collapsed one day and the paramedics folded her up like a sheet of origami paper and put her on a stretcher.

Megawordzzle

“Another bogus caller” thought Daphne, slamming down the phone. Daphne was becoming incensed by the number of calls she was getting, it interfered with her TV viewing and she was likely to have a conniption if she got one more call she decided! The older she got the more hissy fits she was having.

Opening the fridge she took out her lunchtime yoghurt, which she ate every day religiously. Her nieces said she didn’t eat enough, accused her of being abstemious, she did watch what she ate, after all she didn’t want to get fat. Daphne had been a cheerleader in her youth and wanted to keep her lithe, supple body for as long as possible, to fit into the beautiful clothes in her wardrobe. She didn’t want to end up like her friends wearing clothes that resembled Hazmats.

After eating her yoghurt Daphne picked up her “How to do Origami” book and turned to the page showing how to make a dung beetle. Within minutes she had made it and was congratulating herself “easy as rolling off a log” she thought.

Just then there was a knock on the door. Daphne peered through the security peephole and saw her neighbour Sidewinder Syd. She called him sidewinder because he was a snake like man who gave her the jitters. He worked in a lab, apparently, and was always going on about chlorophyll and things she knew nothing about, Daphne thought he was a conniving creep who only kept coming round to try to find out how much money she had. He kept telling her about his friend who was a lawyer and asking if she had a will, saying that his friend could come round and customize a will to her exact needs.

Just as Daphne was about to tell Syd she was busy and he would have to go she suddenly got the sharpest pain in her side which literally took her breath away and she dropped to the floor like a stone. Syd’s zeal disappeared and he stood open-mouthed staring at Daphne on the floor. Quickly he dialled 999 and asked for an ambulance, then he tried to make Daphne comfortable until it arrived. Syd went with her to the hospital where the doctors diagnosed a perforated appendix, saying had Syd not acted quickly Daphne would have died for sure. Syd stayed at the hospital until the emergency operation was over and Daphne was conscious. He promised to let her niece’s know what had happened and look after her cat until she got home.

Syd picked Daphne up from the hospital when it was time for her to return home. He had filled the fridge with food and cleaned the place from top to bottom and Daphne’s cat was sitting on her chair purring contentedly. Daphne revised her opinion of Syd and thanked him for saving her life and all the help he’d given her. It was only when she went to bed that she discovered the money she kept under the mattress was gone, along with all her jewellery. Of course she had no proof but she just knew it was Syd, “he won’t set foot over my threshold again” she told her neice. It was then she noticed her niece’s new shoes and her own gold charm bracelet peeking out from her niece’s cardigan sleeve.

********************************************************************************

Do you know 5th November is Blogblast for Peace?

Bloggers all over the world will be posting the same post

Dona Nobis Pacem
Latin for "Grant Us Peace"

and flying a Peace Globe with their own message for Peace. The Title of the post is important. The goal is for all blog post titles to say the same thing on the same day.

Write about peace that day or simply fly your globe.

Be part of it, join in by going here and following the instructions of how to get your Peace Globe and join in the biggest Blogblast for Peace ever - it's really easy honest.

Jimi Hendrix:
When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.

Friday 55 Flash Fiction # 93 Bright New Future

Friday 55 Flash Fiction is brought to you by G-man (Mr Knowitall). The idea is you write a story in exactly 55 words. If you want to take part pop over and let G-man know when you've posted your 55.

Bright New Future

New Knee

New Hip

New Liver

New Kidneys

New Heart

Pick them up at Walmart

or grow your own.......Arms, Legs, Teeth, Brain?

The future is -

Replace all your worn out parts and live to 100 years old.

What's the point?

The way things are going the Government would make you work until you're 90!

************************************************************************************

Do you know 5th November is Blogblast for Peace?


Bloggers all over the world will be posting the same post

Dona Nobis Pacem

Latin for "Grant Us Peace".

and flying a Peace Globe with their own message for Peace. The Title of the post is important. The goal is for all blog post titles to say the same thing on the same day.

Write about peace that day or simply fly your globe.

Be part of it, join in by going here and following the instructions of how to get your Peace Globe and join in the biggest Blogblast for Peace ever - it's really easy honest.

John Lennon:
Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one.

Portrait Of Words #19...

This writing challenge has changed. Originally Jeff (A Word in Edgewise) started up this monthly challenge, derived from a previous challenge from R.E.H.'s "Picture Fiction Challenge", but Jeff has given it up and Dr. John (Dr. John's Fortress) and Thom (Thom's Place 4 Well Whatever) have taken over. The challenge is now every two weeks and you can get all the details here, where you can also pick up the links to read all the entries. Do pop over and read, you won't be disappointed.


I haven't written one for a while but I felt inspired by these particular photos, so here goes....

Sheila was busy arranging the altar flowers for Sunday morning service, in the church that had stood in the centre of the village for centuries. It was a beautiful village, peaceful and friendly.

The surrounding countryside attracted a lot of visitors such as ramblers and people just out for a Sunday drive or, quite often, people came for a peaceful weekend staying at the local pub which had half a dozen rooms to let. Everyone in the village was friendly and helpful, there was no crime and apart from the occasional ‘too much to drink’ after a family party, which Sheila found acceptable, the village was a veritable paradise, even her husband had loved it.

The flowers had been cut from her garden this morning. She was proud of her garden and her semi-detached cottage not far from the church. Sheila had moved here with her husband when they had retired, as it wasn’t too far away from town where their son lived but was a lot quieter obviously. When her husband had died, only two years into retirement, her son had asked her to move back to town and live with him and his wife but by then Sheila had settled into country life, making many friends in the village. She decided to stay and ten years on was a long established member of the church council, which is how she had been able to arrange for her grandson to be baptised there. She was looking forward to the service tomorrow, it wasn’t to be just a Sunday Service it was the day her first grandchild was to be Baptised, a momentous occasion.


“Poor little Daryl must have colic” she thought, he started screaming as soon as they brought him into the church and hadn’t stopped since. Hopefully he wouldn’t carry on through the baptismal service, how embarrassing would that be? The godparents were called to the font by the vicar as they desperately they tried to calm the yowling baby. Sheila was getting more and more agitated watching her squirming grandson being passed from pillar to post in an effort to placate him. Eventually it was time for the child to be given to the vicar for the blessing, which made the child’s crying even worse. The vicar made the sign of the cross on the baby’s head with the holy water and there was an audible gasp as Daryl projectile vomited green bile all over the vicar’s cassock! Sheila was mortified when she heard a member of the congregation mutter “Maybe they should have called him Damien, he’s obviously a demon!”


“Maybe it’s time to move back to town. Daryl has inherited more than his grandfather’s eyes” thought Sheila.

Crash Aftermath........

'Apparently' there was a passenger in the taxi that caused the recent car crash I was involved in. I am not entirely sure that this true, as I don’t remember seeing anyone else in the car but I can’t be 100% sure. Maybe my witness will be able to shed some light on it. Anyway this passenger is claiming injury and is holding me responsible for the crash! He says the taxi was waiting to turning right and I ran into the rear of the taxi. Of course the damage to both cars is not consistent with this ‘story’. The ‘road’ he says the taxi was turning into is further on than where the accident happened, so if what he said was true the accident would have happened in a completely different place.

Both the taxi driver and I have the same insurance company – one would think in this case the insurance company would just make a decision on who they deem to be at fault and get on with, as they are going to have to pay out anyway. They are now appointing an accident investigator to take statements from all concerned which suggests to me that they don’t believe either him or me. That’s fine with me, I know what happened and I’ve told the truth. Also my ‘independent’ witnesses will verify what I’ve said is true. I don’t know what will happen if they find that the taxi driver and his ‘passenger’ are making a false claim – hopefully something serious!

Quiz and Competition

I have had a few entries for the Nursery Rhyme Quiz already but if you still want to enter you can. Just email me your answers before next Monday and you could win this badge to display on your blog.

You only have to get one right to claim it!

Also, I have had quite a few entries for The Great Imagination Award.

You just have to comment on my Wordzzle post saying what you think it is that Arthur doesn't know about Fluffy Bunny. I will post all the entries and ask people to vote for which one they consider the most imaginative. This award is unique and can't be passed on.

So, if you haven't already, get your entries in.

Saturday Wordzzle # 85 and Competition Time.......

I haven't done a Wordzzle since July and am trying to get back into writing them again. You may remember I used to do doodles as well with my Wordzzles - I may do them again in the future but not at the moment. I'm combining this weeks Wordzzles with a competition - you will find details at the end of the post and I hope you'll all have a go.


Here's the 'structions for taking part in Wordzzles, if you don't already why not give it a try?

The idea is, every week Raven (Views 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.


This Week's Ten Word Challenge is: early morning light, Pinocchio, mist, leaves, sandy, coffee, walking, traffic, pray, stomach

Walking to work, in the early morning light, Sandy Pinocchio kicked the piles of fallen autumn leaves in her path. Her stomach was grumbling because she had missed breakfast, so she stopped off at the shop to buy a coffee and a doughnut. She enjoyed the walk to work. She had recently changed jobs to one nearer home, which meant she no longer had to sit in traffic for an hour every morning waiting for the red mist of frustration to descend. In her last job, every morning her last words to her husband as he walked out the door had been “Pray that the traffic is light for me today” now she just said “I love you”!



And for the mini: train, art, admirable, cotton, fluffy


Arthur picked up his lunch box that his wife had lovingly prepared for him and set off to his job as a train driver, his cotton overalls crisp and clean – another of his wife’s admirable qualities – making sure he had clean overalls every day. She was very into art and all things craft-like and he called her his little fluffy bunny. If only he knew!


Megawordzzle


Sandy was sitting on the train enjoying a coffee on her way to work, she looked at the other passenger in her carriage. He was a strange looking man with a nose like Pinocchio. The man smiled and her stomach lurched, “I pray he didn’t notice me staring at him” she thought.

Turning to the window she watched the passing scenery – the mist over the fields in the early morning light was an eerie sight.


“Are you interested in art?” the man asked.

“I beg your pardon” asked Sandy, taken aback that he’d spoken to her.

“Art? Does it interest you?” he asked again.

“Oh, yes, somewhat. I don’t know a lot about it but I know what I like” she replied.
”I own an art gallery, here’s my card. If you’re ever in the area do please drop in and I’ll show you round” he said.


She looked at the name on the card – ‘Bartholomew Arnold’ it said. The conversation progressed and she found herself warming to him. He was a lot older than she and had an admirable friendliness about him. She was surprised to find they seemed to like a lot of the same things such as walking, the colours of autumn leaves, and they even discussed the excellent properties of cotton and how it didn’t go fluffy like synthetic fibres. It emerged that they both hated driving in morning traffic, which was the reason they were both on the train.

Before they knew it the journey had ended and they said their goodbyes, Sandy promised to pop into his Art Gallery as soon as she had a spare moment. Bart said he’d look forward to showing her round.

Of course, like all chance encounters, they never met on the train again and Sandy had all but forgotten about Bart, until she was returning from a meeting one day and happened to stumble across the Art Gallery. Being in no rush she decided to pop in on the off chance that Bart may be there. She had long ago lost the card he’d given her but she remembered his name and the name of the gallery.


She pushed open the door of the gallery and walked in. There were a few people about but she didn’t see Bart. Rather than ask for him she wandered about looking at the paintings.

Suddenly she saw him. She walked over and looked at the portrait.

Bartholomew Arnold

Proprietor

Born 16th November 1950 – Died 12th December 2007

What? It had to be a mistake. Today’s date was 15th January 2009, it wasn’t that long ago that she’d met him on the train. She remembered the date because it was the day after she’d gotten engaged, it was 12th December last year!


“Can I help you?”


She turned to see a younger version of Bart.

“It’s a great portrait of my father” said the man “we miss him so much. The gallery isn’t the same without him.”



COMPETITION


Ok here’s another chance for someone to win

THE GREAT IMAGINATION AWARD #4

This award is unique and can't be passed on by the recipient.


All you have to do is tell me in the comments what it is about Fluffy Bunny, in the Mini Wordzzle, that Arthur doesn’t know.

Then we’ll have a vote on who is the most imaginative.
Are you up for it?

Go on and have a go then.

Friday 55 Flash Fiction # 92 Sick Note.....

Friday 55 Flash Fiction is brought to you by G-man (Mr Knowitall). The idea is you write a story in exactly 55 words. If you want to take part pop over and let G-man know when you've posted your 55.

SICK NOTE

I've lost two fingers - so type with the others

I've lost an arm - so you've got another one

I've lost a leg - here's a crutch

I have IBS - we'll give you a colostomy

My head's falling off - we'll sew it back on

"But Doctor........

"Look the Government says you have to go back to work!"

The powers that be here have decided they want as many people as possible off Invalidity Benefit and back to work or on Job Seekers Allowance, which will save the Government a fortune.  Granted there are malingerers who could be working, but a lot of people are truly unfit to work and they will be a lot worse off.   As usual it will be the honest people who suffer!   This won't affect me but I know people that it will affect badly.

Nursery Rhyme Quiz Part 3....

Fancy a bit of fun?

Try your hand at working out what Nursery Rhymes the following initials stand for. You can get the kids and grandkids to help you out - don't laugh it's not as easy as it sounds!

Example: B.B.B.S.H.Y.A.W. - Baa Baa Black sheep Have You Any Wool - get the gist?

Email (through my profile) your answers to me in the next week, then next week I'll post the answers and the winner(s).

All those who get any right can claim this badge for their blog.

Josh at the Gabbatha very kindly made it for me, isn't he clever!

OK here they are

1. L.B.D.D.L.G.

2. B.A.G.C.O.T.P.

3. C.A.D.D.

4. S.S.M.A.P.G.T.T.F.

5. D.D.B.P.I.T.W.

6. G.P.P.A.P.

7. G.G.G.W.S.I.W.

8. B.B.B.D.G.A.H

9. T.W.A.C.M.

Good Luck.

Male or Female.......

Some useful information I received by email......

Male or Female? You might not have known this, but a lot of non-living objects are actually either male or female. Here are some examples:

FREEZER BAGS: They are male, because they hold everything in, but you can see right through them.

PHOTOCOPIERS: These are female, because once turned off; it takes a while to warm them up again. They are an effective reproductive device if the right buttons are pushed, but can also wreak havoc if you push the wrong Buttons.

TYRES: Tyres are male, because they go bald easily and are often over inflated

HOT AIR BALLOONS: Also a male object, because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under their butt.

SPONGES: These are female, because they are soft, squeezable and retain water.

WEB PAGES: Female, because they're constantly being looked at and frequently getting hit on.

TRAINS: Definitely male, because they always use the same old lines for picking up people.

EGG TIMERS: Egg timers are female because, over time, all the weight shifts to the bottom.

HAMMERS: Male, because in the last 5000 years, they've hardly changed at all, and are occasionally handy to have around.

THE REMOTE CONTROL: Female. Ha! You probably thought it would be male, but consider this: It easily gives a man pleasure, he'd be lost without it, and while he doesn't always know which buttons to push, he just keeps trying

Sunday Night Fever......

You remember we visited Queenie last weekend to help celebrate her hubby, D’s, 50th birthday? Well we had a great weekend!

We set off Friday at 3.30 pm, as soon as I had got home from work. I actually drove to their house for the first time in the 19 years we’ve known them and been visiting, though we went the scenic route as I don’t ‘do’ motorways. That was a treat for MWM as he usually drives. It must be a year since we’ve actually seen them but, as always, we fell into a relaxed mode because we’ve been friends for so long. We had fish’n’chips from the award winning chippy round the corner, then MWM and D went to the pub whilst Queenie and I caught up on all the gossip and the itinerary for the weekend.     Before you ask – yes it was a late night and yes we did have a lot to drink!

Saturday dawned to find us all a bit worse for wear but we had to go to the venue for Sunday’s party for Q&D to make sure everything would go according to plan. The actual venue is their son’s very upmarket Café/Lounge Bar ‘Saint’s’, where we had a light lunch and a couple of coffees before heading home to have 40 winks before going out for a meal that evening. We opted for a local Tandoori restaurant that evening where they do great food, the atmosphere is friendly and the service superb. We were all really tired from the night before so were home and in bed for 11.30 p.m. – a first for all of us on one of ‘our weekends’, boy did we feel better for it the following day though!

Sunday was a busy day, well for Q&D anyway, shopping and getting food ready for the party that night, then we all had to don our fancy dress costumes and be down at the venue for 6 pm to take the food and help the staff to set it all up.
The dress theme was 60’s/70’s and here we are ready to go!

MWM, me, Queenie and D

D had given the DJ a playlist of all his favourite music from the era and later there was a duo playing – who I have to say were absolutely brilliant and it was their first proper gig!


Everyone was up dancing, especially the ‘Birthday Boy’, who I think danced to every single tune! The drinks were flowing and the food was great. Queenie had booked the minibus for midnight to take us back home and the four of us carried on the party there. I have to say it was one of the best parties I’ve ever been to, but I wouldn’t have expected anything less from Q&D being the great hosts they are! There were only a few people who didn’t wear fancy dress, the majority did and they looked fantastic. I’ve put together a slide show to show you just what an effort most folk put in.

Thanks for a great weekend Q&D and, as today is the day,…..

HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY ‘D’

THE SUNDAY ROAST......

You may or may not remember that way back on April 6th 2008 I was the subject of the Sunday Roast over at David McMahon's blog Authorblog. Mine was the 10th in a series of interviews which graced David's blog on Sundays up until the last one (number 84), which he published on 20th September 2009. David decided his blog would have to take a back seat and along with it THE SUNDAY ROAST feature which his loyal readers enjoyed so much. David is going to concentrate on his writing - he's a published writer and a fabulous photographer - you can see some of his photographs on his Authorblog or his Red Bubble site.

Thankfully Eddie Bluelights at Clouds & Silver Linings has been handed the baton and is taking on the responsibility of bringing new and interesting blogs to our attention from now on. It would have been such a shame to see such a great feature disappear from blogland - so THANKYOU EDDIE!

Eddie will be serving up his first SUNDAY ROAST on 11th October 2009 - do go visit him if you haven't already and be sure to visit on Sunday for his very first SUNDAY ROAST interview.