Followers

Sunday 26 July 2009

Who won....

the Great Imagination Award?





As you know, I posted all the entries last week and you voted in your hundreds tens, deciding that this was the entry you liked best.



Dolly continued to work at the diner, waiting for Geoff to return. He sent her an occasional letter, which she cherished. She wrote him back, and sent letters much more frequently than she received them. He spoke about the strange places he was visiting, and about how much he missed her. She spoke about how nice it was to hear about such things, places and customs that she never dreamed existed, and told him about life there in the hills and about how much she missed him.


Although he had said he would be back in a short time, months passed and then years, and still she waited. The hill people were starting to feel sorry for her, she knew, but she still kept waiting. She even turned down the men who wanted to date her. As time passed, her brothers and sisters grew up and all got married. Still she waited. Finally a man came in, a stranger, who still looked somehow familiar. Then she realized it was Geoff, years older, his hair streaked with gray.


"I'm sorry it took so long," he said. "I meant to come back earlier, and almost did several times, but I was afraid that if I did I couldn't bear to leave again. I was trying to save up enough money so that I could retire and stay here with you. We could still travel sometimes, but then it would be for fun, and we could go wherever we wanted."


She looked at him, wanting to hug him, wanting to throw her arms around him and never let him go, but somehow reluctant to make any move toward him. She said, softly and with a little sadness, "Did it really have to be so long? Couldn't you have come back at least sometimes? You did get vacations, you know."

He looked back at her, then turned his face to the side. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't. I couldn't bear to come back and then have to leave again. I thought of you almost constantly, though." He turned his head toward her again, fear and pain showing in his eyes. "There isn't someone else, is there? Someone who has taken my place?"

Several seconds of silence passed between them. She almost started to say something, but then stopped. Her face was unreadable.

Then she finally said, "There is someone else, but he has not taken your place. Come in Tommy, and meet your father." A little boy came in, who looked like both of them, and they all hugged each other, tears of happiness running down their faces. He had come home, and he would never leave them again.

And the winner is............
 
 
 
for the second time!    Stephen's ending was almost as long as the story I'd written.  You can read the story here
 
You will notice the Award says #2 - it is not an award to be passed on and can only be awarded by me, so it's very exclusive SwitSwoo!
 
 
Well done STEPHEN and to everyone else who entered the competition - all the endings were brilliant!   I hope you'll all play again next time, whenever that is, and thanks to all those who voted.
 
 

Wednesday 22 July 2009

The Queen's Meme #2......




The Mission Impossible Meme

Okey Dokey here's the second Queen's Meme from Mimi Queen Of Memes, where every Tuesday she will put up a new meme for us serfs to participate in with the threat of being thrown in the dungeon if we don't do it!




1. You are a guest on the space shuttle. You just arrived on the moon and realize you forgot something back home that you can't live without. What is it and how do you convince them to go back and fetch it?





Well I am very organised and I NEVER, EVER forget anything!  Oh wait a minute there was that ONE time. I remember when the kids were young we were on our way to Abersoch, Wales,  we were halfway there, it had been raining for two hours and we stopped for a bathroom break.  It was then I discovered I'd forgotten to put any coats in the car and the petrol tank was leaking!   We didn't have much money and I was convinced that the little we did have would be spent on fixing the petrol tank and buying Kagools because it would be raining for the whole week.   The Universe smiled on us though and the leaking petrol tank was just the floater guage not screwed in right (or something like that, I'm not very technical) and the garage didn't charge us for putting it right.   As we arrived at our destination the sun came out and never went back in again (well apart from at night) for the whole week!  

Anyway where was I before I remembered that one lapse?   Ah yes, if, I say IF, I was to forget somethng it definitely wouldn't be something I couldn't live without, all those items would have been on my list (I'm a great one for lists) and in the suitcase so there would be no need to go back.  Anyway by the time I get to the moon there will be a shopping mall!



2. Pretend you are a teacher in a rough public school for one day. You have been assigned to teach Manners 101. You have the "challenging bad butt kids" class (remember this is a pretend school and anyway I can't say ass on my blog 'cause it's so unQueenly and I might get fined or something).


They are jumping up and down, cursing, and throwing things at you.


What is the first thing you would write on the board?



I work in a school (no I'm not a teacher) and believe me the kids I come into contact with do NOT misbehave with me!    I'm a scary m*********er if they try - you just ask my boys!   One look and they sit down and behave.   If they're good though I'm a pussycat.

3. Someone in your family or a friend has started a blog. They think it is anonymous but you have figured it out. They are saying derogatory things about you. Do you tell them or do you read it for awhile?


How would you handle it?




LOL I would read for a while then drop the BOMBSHELL.    A comment on the lines of...

"I've been reading for a while and I don't like what you're saying!" Akelamalu

would suffice methinks.



4. If you had one dollar left in your pocket, what would you spend it on?



I'd buy a lottery ticket hoping to win.    Hopefully I would never be down to my last dollar because I would be working so there'd be more money coming in.  

5. President Obama and the First Lady are coming over for dinner. What do you serve?



Well they'd be coming for traditional Sunday lunch to my house so they'd get Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, Roast Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Green Beans and my famous (well it's famous to all the people that have tasted it) Gravy.  For afters I would give them Apple Crumble and Custard or Cream.   


6. You walk in on your lover. They are trying on your clothes. What do you do?




I'd smack him one - no-one tries my clothes without my permission!



7. Every astronaut must have shots! Choose your vaccination: You only get one and you can't enjoy any of the attributes of the other choices. You choose either: (1) The fountain of eternal youth and sexual vigor but only for 10 years (2) perfect health for a lifetime (3) eternal mind-numbing nirvana and peace of mind (4) unlimited hedonism for one year with no negative consequences



Of course it would have to be #2.

#1 is contradictory - you can't have eternal youth that only lasts for 10 years can you?
#3 what would be the point of mind-numbing nirvana?   You only appreciate the ups in life if you have the downs don't you?
#4 I like a bit of hedonism and if I was blessed with perfect health for a lifetime I could indulge without fear that the second part 'no negative consequences' might not be true!



This is your mission should you choose to accept it. And remember, don't end up in the dungeon.

I accepted the Queen's challenge so I'm not going in the dungeon this week.

If you want to accept the Queen's challenge then go here and put your name on Mr. Linky.


I won't be doing a 55 Flash Fiction or a Wordzzle this week or next, I'm off to Wales on Monday so am busy getting ready.   

I'll post the winner of the Great Imagination Award on Sunday - if you haven't done so already, do go to the previous post and read the entries, then vote for your favourite.    I'll still be visiting you until Sunday then that's me - out of the blogosphere for a week.

Monday 20 July 2009

Pick a winner.......

Okay here's your chance to vote again on who gets this award........


If you read my last Portrait Of Words you will know that I made it a competition to win the above award by writing the ending to my story.    Well here are the entries and you can read the story for which they wrote the endings here, so you know what's gone before.

In the order they were in the comments...

Thom (Thom's Place 4 Well Whatever)

Geoff goes back home. Three weeks later he gets his okay from National Geographic to be settle in the hills. After getting all his ends tied up a week later, off he goes. All his wordly possessions with him, he arrives in the mountains and goes driectly to the diner. L'il Dolly Duke is no where to be found.

A voice from behind says, "May I help you"

"I'm looking for L'il Dolly?"

"Why she done moved after she married her childhood sweetheart. His dad decided to pick up and start a new business in the mountains just east of here. Cow herding is better there." Betty Sue said.
Heartbroken, Geoff starts to saunter out. Betty Sue continues, "Well Sugar, I remember you. I was one of those mud wrestling girls you saw the day you met L'il Dolly."

Geoff eyes lit up. Well I'm here so why not. Off the two went and Geoff thought, the hills would come alive yet again.



Dr.John (Dr.John's Fortress)

Several days later L'il Dolly Duke pays the diner owner for letting her play hillbilly girl waitress. Takes the one taxi out to what passes as an airport and flys her plane back to New York where she ceases to be L'il Dolly Duke and become Maggie O'Toole the author. She starts work on her new book "Hillbilly Murder".


As she writes she wonders if she can get that Geoff guy to sell her some of his pictures for the book.


bettygram (Betty's News)

Letters came on a regular bases, with tales of Geoff's travels. One day a package arrived with a copy of the National Geographic. The Photo were beautiful of their little community.


Dolly had a jar where she put away a little each pay check, hoping for Geoff return. As the sum grew she put it in the bank.


A few years passed and the letters grew fewer and fewer. The bank account grew, and Dolly found she could attend college. College or Geoff? She still cared for Geoff but a college education would prepare her more for a life of travel.


Dolly left her family and the diner. Geoff became a memory but he was the inspiration for her.



Daryl (Out and About in New York City)

While driving off Geoff thought of nothing but Dolly ... his mind focused solely on her and when he would be able to return.
So involved was he that he wasnt paying attention to the road and he lost control of the car, driving off a cliff .. his last words were Dolly, oh my Dolly.....


Mimi Lenox (Mimi Writes)

Geoff ran away with the next floosie he met on the street.


Pam (Finding Pam)

Geoff had kept all of his promises to Dolly. After the latest edition of National Geographic was printed, Dolly became a national treasure from all the exposure. She became an apprentice to Geoff and they traveled the world together taking photos of one adventure after another. Life was good. Dolly was happy and that was all that really mattered to Geoff because he was a man in love.


Stephen (Stephen's Thoughts)

Dolly continued to work at the diner, waiting for Geoff to return. He sent her an occasional letter, which she cherished. She wrote him back, and sent letters much more frequently than she received them. He spoke about the strange places he was visiting, and about how much he missed her. She spoke about how nice it was to hear about such things, places and customs that she never dreamed existed, and told him about life there in the hills and about how much she missed him.


Although he had said he would be back in a short time, months passed and then years, and still she waited. The hill people were starting to feel sorry for her, she knew, but she still kept waiting. She even turned down the men who wanted to date her. As time passed, her brothers and sisters grew up and all got married. Still she waited. Finally a man came in, a stranger, who still looked somehow familiar. Then she realized it was Geoff, years older, his hair streaked with gray.


"I'm sorry it took so long," he said. "I meant to come back earlier, and almost did several times, but I was afraid that if I did I couldn't bear to leave again. I was trying to save up enough money so that I could retire and stay here with you. We could still travel sometimes, but then it would be for fun, and we could go wherever we wanted."


She looked at him, wanting to hug him, wanting to throw her arms around him and never let him go, but somehow reluctant to make any move toward him. She said, softly and with a little sadness, "Did it really have to be so long? Couldn't you have come back at least sometimes? You did get vacations, you know."


He looked back at her, then turned his face to the side. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't. I couldn't bear to come back and then have to leave again. I thought of you almost constantly, though." He turned his head toward her again, fear and pain showing in his eyes. "There isn't someone else, is there? Someone who has taken my place?"


Several seconds of silence passed between them. She almost started to say something, but then stopped. Her face was unreadable.


Then she finally said, "There is someone else, but he has not taken your place. Come in Tommy, and meet your father." A little boy came in, who looked like both of them, and they all hugged each other, tears of happiness running down their faces. He had come home, and he would never leave them again.



OK so there you have the entries.   Stephen won the very first Great Imagination Award, will he do it again?  It's up to you.
Leave a comment to vote for who you want to win.  In the event of a tie we'll have another vote.

Saturday 18 July 2009

Saturday Wordzzle # 72



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, complete with my doodles.


This week's Ten Word Challenge is: corn pone, delegation, nectarines, happiness, 12 going on 13, prancing horses, magenta, butterflies, fragmentary, arthritis



Finishing her corn pone Susan picked up one of the nectarines off her plate and bit into it. She preferred tangerines and their fragmentary composition which meant she could dissect them and eat a small piece at a time. Watching the waitresses flit about like magenta coloured butterflies, in their pristine uniforms, she said to herself “They remind me of prancing horses, if only I didn’t have arthritis I could move about like them”.

Susan was 12 going on 13 but felt much older because of the pain she was in. However she didn’t let it spoil her happiness or her resolve to lead the delegation of her school friends in their campaign to get the school canteen to supply tangerines for lunch.



For the mini challenge: lavender cowboy, over the moon, preparation, zebra, area rug




April had been busy that morning with the preparations for her housewarming party and was now singing along to the ‘Lavender Cowboy’, which was playing in the store where she was searching for a zebra patterned area rug for her flat.


“Eureka” she shouted, over the moon that she found just what she was looking for.




Megawordzzle
Magenta Downing ate her lunch of corn pone and nectarines trying to calm the butterflies in her tummy. She was so looking forward to the show, it would be her first time competing in dressage.

Watching the first competitors she marvelled at the prancing horses and particularly noticed one rather good looking man dressed in his finery who’s horse looked more like a zebra with arthritis compared to the others. The movements of his horse were rather fragmentary and Magenta couldn’t help but feel he hadn’t done the necessary preparation for the show, she pointed this out to her friends and they had a fit of the giggles at his performance.


It was Magenta’s turn next, her horse, Blue, performed spectacularly and they won, Magenta was over the moon. When they finished the rest of the competitors arrived like a delegation to congratulate her. The lavender cowboy, as she dubbed the good looking man, added his congratulations but with the barbed comment that

“Of course my horse went lame just before I started otherwise I would have probably won!” Magenta wasn’t about to let him mar her happiness, so she ignored him.


It had been decided they would all go out for a celebratory drink after the show, so they arranged to meet in the hotel bar next door to the equestrian centre. As the night wore on Magenta was getting more and more annoyed with Mark’s, the lavender cowboy, constant moaning about how he should have won.

“He’s acting like he’s 12 going on 13” she told her friend, who agreed.


Finally Magenta had enough.


“Will you just shut up” she told him “there’s no way you would have won, you’re useless!”


With that she jumped up and announced “I’ll get the drinks in” and hurried to the bar. Unfortunately for Magenta as she stepped on the area rug in the middle of the hotel lounge it shot across the polished floor resulting in her landing on her backside arms and legs akimbo.


The lavender cowboy sniggered.

Friday 17 July 2009

Friday 55 Flash Fiction # 84 The Ring




He chose the ring carefully.


He'd checked the size three times.




He couldn't get it wrong, that wouldn't do at all.


 
He'd been planning for a while and the time was right.


 
It was going to be tricky getting it on but hopefully


 
the vet would have it through the bull's nose in a jiffy.






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.

Wednesday 15 July 2009

The Queen's Meme.....



Mimi Queen Of Memes has started a new blog called The Queen's Meme where every Tuesday she will put up a new meme for us serfs to participate in with the threat of being thrown in the dungeon if we don't do it!



So, without further ado, here is the very first meme out of The Queen's Meme:
The Blog Outside The Box Meme

This meme is all about using your imagination. Free your inner blogginess. Step outside the proverbial blox (that's blog + box for all you non-blog speakers). Answer these ridiculous situational questions and post them on your own blog. Here's the situation for today. We won't tell a soul. And remember:

Don't end up in the dungeon.

1. You are in court. You are in deep doo-doo. What did you do? ('Cause if you want, I might could talk to the judge and get your sentence reduced to Bloggingham dungeon time.)

The only way I would be in court would be as a witness - I'm Miss Goody Two Shoes didn't you know?



2. Your blog just became a best-selling book . What is the title of your book ?

Everything and Nothing - what else would I call it?

3. It is midnight. The phone rings. It is Michael Jackson calling from the Great Beyond.

What would you like to ask him?

Who's the father of your children?



4. You are having your future told. The fortune teller looks in the crystal ball, screams and leaves the room in fright. What did they see?

I don't know but it would scare the s*** out of me!

5. You're blogging along minding your own blusiness (that's blog + oh...you know) when Google unexpectedly puts a Objectionable Content Warning on your blog. Your own mother is afraid to enter! What, pray tell, did you do to warrant it? How did this happen? Do you think you deserve it? Just how objectionable are you? Do tell.

I was probably having a vent about my boss and used some unprintable swear words.

6. You suddenly become God Of The Universe. What would your first Commandment be?

Stop all wars!

7. And finally, what secret would you like to tell the Queen?

Not to worry. What happens in Bloggingham, stays in Bloggingham.

I rang in sick to work, when I wasn't sick at all.  I needed the day off to go see my son get the prize for the best first year law student at University.  I hope no-one at work finds my blog!

Tuesday 14 July 2009

Portrait Of Words # 12 and Competition




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'm combining the POW challenge with my own competition where you get to write the end of the story and win the Great Imagination award, an award that is given by me and cannot be passed on.


Here's my Portrait of Words........


Thom says this week's rules are:
1. Go to this link Hillbilly Name Generator. If you have been on my site and already have one, please use that name. If you don't have one, please get one as this will be your main character.

2. Please use at least four of the six pictures.

 

 
Taking out his camera Geoff quickly snapped the deer that was looking directly at him, it was so beautiful. Geoff was a photographer for National Geographic and was up here in the mountains taking photos for an assignment covering the County Fair.

He loved these assignments; he got to meet great people and got some fabulous photos. Wandering around the fair his camera was whirring taking in the livestock and baking competition. The place was heaving with folk trying to win prizes in the pie eating contest and betting on the pig race. There was a rodeo, where he took a full roll of film, pony rides for the children, a monster truck show and carnival rides.



By 1pm Geoff stopped at a food stall and bought his lunch, then he found a vacant hay bale to sit on whilst he ate it and watched the talent show, taking the occasional photo as he ate. There was live music and he even joined in the line dancing, following one particular pretty blonde young woman who laughed at his efforts and introduced herself as L’il Dolly Duke. Out of breath they left the dancing and went over to watch the mud wrestling, which Dolly said she definitely wouldn’t take part in.
“Too messy for me” she told him. Dolly wanted to know all about Geoff’s job and where he’d travelled, she desperately wanted to travel she confided.




“I’m just a poor country girl” Dolly told him. “I’m eighteen and live in a cabin in the hills with my parents, three brothers, two sisters and Dixie, the dog. I’m the eldest” she said proudly. She told him about her job at the diner and how hard life was but she was happy. Geoff was in town for three days and he told her he’d come over to the diner to eat and maybe she could spend some time with him after she finished work. Dolly said she’d love to see him. It was late as they sat and watched the fireworks at the end of the night, Geoff gave her a lift home, well as far as the road went, and was a perfect gentleman not even trying to kiss her. Dolly was impressed.


The following day Dolly was hard at work in the diner when the door opened and Geoff walked in. He looked even more handsome today than he had the previous day she thought. She quickly took his order but was unable to sit and talk because the diner was so busy with shouts of “L’il Dolly Duke will you get yourself over there and serve those people” from the owner.

Geoff slipped her a note saying “I’ll come back for you when you finish here, I have to go take some photos”. Dolly quickly tidied her hair and removed her apron after work then walked outside. True to his word Geoff was waiting for her and told her he’d arranged to stay in town for the rest of the week, which they spent together. Dolly took Geoff to all her favourite haunts and introduced him to her friends. By the end of the week love had blossomed and they had become lovers, inevitably the time came for Geoff to leave.



A lone eagle flew overhead as Geoff climbed into his car and waved goodbye to L’il Dolly Duke, promising it wouldn’t be long before he would be back. Dolly waved until he was out of site then made her way back to home.



OK here’s your chance again to finish off the story. What do you think happened to L’il Dolly Duke after Geoff left? Do you think Geoff came back?   Tell me your ending in the comments and then everyone can vote for the ending they like best.

Monday 13 July 2009

Humane and spreading the love....

It's award time again...





This one's from Thom (Thom's Place 4 Well Whatever) again, and of course it comes with rules.

Thankyou Thom I'm honoured.


The Rules:

“The Humane Award is in order to honor certain bloggers that I feel are kindhearted individuals. They regularly take part in my blog and always leave the sweetest comments. If it wasn’t for them, my site would just be an ordinary blog. Their blogs are also amazing and are tastefully done on a daily basis. I thank them and look forward to our growing friendships through the blog world.” Recipients of this award should write a post about it, linking to the person gifted the award, along with ten of their own nominees.”



There are so many bloggers who comment on my blog that this award applies to it would be impossible for me to choose just ten, so PLEASE if you comment on this post take the award with my love.



And this one from Mae (Touch of Life)




Having only recently discovered Mae's blog I feel very priviledged that she has passed this award on to me.
Thankyou Mae




This too comes with rules:

1. Copy the badge and put it on your blog.
2. Link back to the person who passed you this award.
3. Spread the love to at least 10 more bloggers.


As I broke the rules on the previous award I suppose I should abide by them with this one, so I'd like to pass this award on to the following people and hope you will spread the love too.

Cloudia (Comfort Spiral)
Thelma & Louise (Girly Ranch)

Saturday 11 July 2009

Saturday Wordzzle # 71




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, complete with my doodles.



This Week's Ten Word Challenge is: sober, spoilage, knight, laugh and the world laughs with you, peak, blueberries, owl, drugstore, lampshade, keyboard
For the mini challenge: economy, Michael Jackson, ladder, clue, structure



Megawordzzle

As Bernard reached the peak of the small ladder he had used to reach one of the shelves, his foot slipped and he fell in a heap behind the counter. He landed with a bump and a container had landed on his head like a lampshade.


Bernard was a jolly soul whose philosophy was ‘laugh and the world laughs with you’ so it was no surprise to Minnie to see him laughing at himself.

“You need to take more water with your whisky” said Minnie his assistant.

“I wouldn’t mind so much if I was drunk but I’m completely sober” laughed Bernard.


Picking himself up he dusted himself off and told Minnie “I was kept awake half the night by that night-owl next door playing his own tribute to Michael Jackson on his keyboard. He needs a job and some structure to his life, maybe I’ll offer him a job here. I’m shattered, no wonder I’m clumsy!”

Minnie worked part-time for Bernard and took in sewing the rest of the time. Bernard was her knight in shining armour, he had given her a job and let her advertise her sewing skills in the window of the drugstore when her husband died and she was left with a two year old son and didn’t have a clue how she would manage. She was so grateful to him but he just told her he was doing his bit for the economy.


“I made you a pie with some of the blueberries you gave me from your garden Bernard. Are you sure your missus didn’t want them?” Minnie asked.

“No we have so many she was worried about the amount of spoilage we were like to get, so she’s just glad you can use them” he answered.


This Week's Ten Word Challenge is: sober, spoilage, knight, laugh and the world laughs with you, peak, blueberries, owl, drugstore, lampshade, keyboard



“I have a spare pie, do you think your neighbour likes blueberries Bernard?” asked Minnie.


“I don’t know Minnie he’s lived next door for a couple of months now but I haven’t actually seen him in that time. Tell you what, give me the pie and I’ll take it to him tonight” said Bernard.


Steven Knight was successful at what he did, he was at the peak of his career when he decided he’d had enough, better to stop now before there was spoilage because people were sick of seeing him, so he retired to the little country town. He was quite a shy, sober person and had not ventured out since arriving, having his supplies delivered to his door.


That evening Bernard knocked his neighbour’s door and waited patiently. He could see little through the window apart from the top of a lampshade and a keyboard. The door opened and Bernard gave one of his huge smiles. Thrusting the pie into Steven’s hands he said “Welcome to the neighbourhood, I thought you might enjoy some homemade pie, I grew the blueberries and my assistant, Minnie at the drugstore, made the pie”.

Steven thanked him and invited him in. They chatted for a while and Bernard mentioned how he heard him playing the keyboard in the small hours. Steven apologised explaining that he had trouble sleeping and had become a bit of an owl. Bernard laughed.

Laugh and the world laughs with you” said Steven.
“My sentiments entirely” replied Bernard with a smile.
When Bernard was leaving Steven thanked him again for the pie and promised to pop into the drug store to thank Minnie also.


For the mini challenge: economy, Michael Jackson, ladder, clue, structure

A few days later Steven, true to his word, called into the drugstore to thank Minnie for the pie, which he assured her was delicious. Minnie was quite taken with Steven and promised him next time she baked she would send him another pie, to which Steven replied “I hope you’ll deliver it yourself and we’ll share a slice with a cup of coffee?” Minnie promised she would and this eventually became a weekly ritual. Their friendship grew and Steven felt it gave his week structure, which previously it had lacked.


Months later Minnie and Steven were spending more and more time together, they were going out in the evenings and spending weekends together and Steven was playing stepfather to Minnie’s boy. Things were getting serious and Steven explained to Minnie that when he’d walked away from his profession he was at the top of the ladder of success and also told her he would now have to go back to work as his investments weren’t enough to keep him due to the failing economy.


“Would you and Bobby come with me?” he asked Minnie “it would mean a life on the road but together we could make it a good life.”


“What exactly did you do Steven?” Minnie asked.


“I’ll give you a clue” he said as he moonwalked across the floor. “I’m the best Michael Jackson impersonator there is and now Michael has died there will be more work for me than ever!”


Unfortunately for Steven, Minnie was not a Michael Jackson fan.

Friday 10 July 2009

Friday 55 Flash Fiction #83 Mary





"Mary had a little lamb" Thomas chimed.


"Its fleece was white as snow."

He hoped they would be able to hear him.

"Everywhere that Mary went,"

He was praying this would be a success.

"The lamb was sure to go".


Eureka, he'd done it, success at last.

Thomas Edison had invented the world's first phonograph!




* 1877: Thomas Edison make the first recording of the human voice - his own, reciting 'Mary had a little lamb'.


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.

Wednesday 8 July 2009

Letters to God........

I received these in an email,thought you would enjoy reading children's letters to God. .........

Dear God,
Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones why don’t you just keep the ones you got now?
Jane


Dear God,
I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that OK?
Neil.


Dear God,
I think the stapler is one of your greatest inventions.
Ruth


Dear God
In the bible times did they really talk that fancy?
Jennifer


Dear God
I think about you sometimes even when I’m not praying.
Elliott


Dear God
I am Amearican What are you?
Robert




Dear God
Thankyou for the baby brother but what I prayed for was a puppy.
Joyce


Dear God
I bet it is very hard for you to love all of everybody in the whole world. There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it.
Nan


Dear God
Please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter. There is nothing good in there now.
Ginny


Dear God
If you watch in church on Sunday I will show my new shoes.
Mickey


Dear God
If we come back as something please don’t let me be Jennifer Horton because I hate her.
Denise


God
I would like to live 900 years like the guy in the bible.
Love Chris
Dear God
If you give me a genie lamp like Alladin I will give you anything you want except my money or my chess set.
Raphael


Dear God
We read Thos Edison made light but in sun school they said you dit it so I bet he stoled your idea.
Sincerely Donna


Dear God
If you let the dinasor not exstinct we would not have a country. You did the right thing.
Jonathan.


Dear God
Please send Dennis Clark to a different camp this year.
Peter


Dear God
Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother.
Larry

Don't you just love 'em?

Monday 6 July 2009

And the winner is.......

Last week I invited you to vote on who would be the very first recipient of this award





which MWM made especially for the occasion.

Those of you who read my Wordzzle #69 post (27.06.09) will have noticed I asked for reader's to give their answers to the questions asked by Carol's friends after her untimely death in Iran. Here's the end of my story:



Some months later the girls were moving out of the house and found a photograph that had slipped down the back of one of drawers that Carol had used in the bedroom. The photograph was of Carol and a good looking, dark skinned man and there was some writing on the back which said

“Here’s to the next mission!”


“Whatever could it mean? Who was the man? What had really happened to Carol?” the girls asked each other.


You can read the whole story here.

So you voted and here's the winner's ending:


This is my version of the ending: She faked her death. The body looked only slightly like her, but after laying in the sun for a few days it didn't really matter. The passport left with the body was all that was used for identification. She was now diguised as an Iranian, working with the dark skinned man and others to try to find out where the votes of the presidential election were kept and then take digital pictures of all of them and transmit copies to other countries so a recount could be done outside Iran. If the recount showed that the other person actually won, this would turn world opinion more strongly against Iran's leaders and give the protesters in Iran a stronger reason to fight.


So Congtratulations and take the stage to collect your award

Stephen



Well done,YOU are the very first recipient of this award and I hope you will display it with pride.

You do not get to pass on this award, it is just for those I award it to.

Saturday 4 July 2009

Saturday Wordzzle # 70



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.



No doodles this week, no time.



For the mini challenge: music to my ears, plot, powerful, braggart, super model


Jim was busy digging his plot on the allotment when he heard the chimes of the ice-cream seller. “That’s music to my ears” he said to himself “I need something to cool me down”.
Strolling over to the van he smiled at Patty, the young woman serving the ice-cream who he knew from the amateur operatics society. He asked for an ice-cream then proceeded to tell her what a great voice she had but that she was so pretty she could be a supermodel.

Patty laughed “Yeah, right” she said.

”Honestly, I know an agent” he told her “I have connections you know, I’m quite powerful. I’ll get you an introduction” he promised.

Patty called him a braggart, in the nicest possible way, but was thrilled and shocked when he phoned her a few days later and gave her the details of an appointment to see an agent in London.



Megawordzzle:
Ten Word Challenge is: Florida, spit, child bride, operatic, busy, holding pattern, sunflowers, ginger jars, office, superintendent / For the mini challenge: music to my ears, plot, powerful, braggart, super model


Patty Ives lost the plot in the agent’s office, when she was subjected to the superintendent’s enforced holding pattern of making everyone queue to see the man himself because he was so busy. Patty realised losing her temper didn’t get her into see the agent any quicker but it sure made her feel better. She was only nineteen and could take care of herself, she’d had to.

Whilst she was waiting she filled in some details on her portfolio, like how she had started off in an amateur operatic group but had now diversified and was hoping to become a successful supermodel. She listed her hobby of growing sunflowers, how she collected ginger jars and her ambition to see Florida. Of course all this was immaterial unless she fulfilled her dream and became famous, because no-one would be interested otherwise.

Eventually it was her turn to see the agent. She rapped on the door and swept through it as he shouted “Enter”. Introducing herself Patty handed over her portfolio, the agent looked her up and down and then opened her file. Patty was thinking that was a good sign because the other girls had said he didn’t even look at theirs. After studying her photos he told Patty he was sure he could find her some work.

“That’s music to my ears” she said.

The next twelve months were a whirlwind for Patty, true to his word her agent worked hard and got her plenty of modelling jobs, then one day he called her and said he needed to see her.

Patty sat in his office smiling at him across his desk.

“You wanted to see me?” she asked.

By the time he told her what he’d called her in for she was furious. She called him a braggart before she spit in his eye and told him to go to hell

He’d found out she had been a child bride and had a son, who she had left with her parents. He threatened to expose her past to the media, saying “I’m a very powerful man my dear, you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours!”

She was famous now and she doubted whether anyone would care about her past, even if they did it didn’t alter the fact that she was good at what she did, look at Kate Moss, she’d made more money since the press published her drug antics. She was willing to take the chance.



Ten Word Challenge is: Florida, spit, child bride, operatic, busy, holding pattern, sunflowers, ginger jars, office, superintendent


Patty Ives walked out of the agent’s office and sat in her car, the first thing she had to do was find another agent and tell them about her past.

She closed her eyes and remembered sitting outside the school superintendent’s office when she was just sixteen, staring out of the window admiring the sunflowers and the ginger jars on display in the hallway. Both were so pretty she vowed she would grow sunflowers and collect ginger jars when she was famous. The hallway was very busy as there were other students waiting, they created a holding pattern as they moved up a chair as each one was called into the office. Finally it was her turn and she sat facing the superintendent.

“ I wanted to speak to you to ask if you would like to change your mind about dropping out of school my dear” said the superintendent. “I know you’re a child bride and are pregnant but it doesn’t have to be the end of your schooling. You have a fantastic voice and could make a career out of music, with the right training you could go on to be an operatic star” she told Patty.

“I want to be a good wife and mother” Patty told her “so there’s no time for school”.    The superintendent wished her well and said if she changed her mind to come see her.

Her parents didn’t like Billy, her husband, so living with them was difficult to say the least, but she thought everything would be OK once the baby arrived. The baby turned out to be the ‘spit’ of his father and Billy was the doting dad for a couple of months, well until he met Tina and disappeared. Patty’s Mum offered to look after the baby whilst Patty went to work and she managed to get a job selling ice-cream from a van. That was when she met Jim, who had given her the introduction to the weasel of an agent. She wouldn’t hold that against Jim, he’d done her a huge favour at the time. Now here she was again, looking for an agent, but now she was a successful model not a quiet country girl who wouldn’t say boo to a goose, a girl who had fulfilled her dream of growing sunflowers, collecting ginger jars and had visited Florida several times. Yes, she decided, she would carry on regardless.

Friday 3 July 2009

Friday 55 Flash Fiction # 82 Hitchiker



Cathy sat at the side of the road, weary, praying someone would stop.

 
Gliding to a halt the driver beckoned her.



 
Chatting, flirting, he pulled off the road, killed the engine.


 
Cathy plunged the knife into his chest, then made her way back to the road...



 
stuffing his wallet into her rucksack with the others.


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.

Thursday 2 July 2009

Great Imagination......

Here's your chance to vote on who gets an award!

Those of you who read my Wordzzle #69 post last week (27.06.09) will have noticed I asked for reader's to give their answers to the questions asked by Carol's friends after her untimely death in Iran.  Here's the end of the story:

Some months later the girls were moving out of the house and found a photograph that had slipped down the back of one of drawers that Carol had used in the bedroom. The photograph was of Carol and a good looking, dark skinned man and there was some writing on the back which said

“Here’s to the next mission!”

“Whatever could it mean? Who was the man? What had really happened to Carol?” the girls asked each other
You can read the whole story here.

Those of you who gave answers have fantastic imaginations and I thought everyone should see what you came up with.      So here they are and I'd like everyone who reads this post to vote for their favourite.  The person with the most votes gets this award



which MWM made especially for the occasion.
It is not an award to be passed on, it is just for those I award it to.


So here they are:

Charlie Facwet closed the file at the CIA headquarters and turned to his partner.

"We never should have sent her to Iran. She just wasn't ready.
Dr. John (Dr. John's Fortress)


Oh, a serial killer and a spy. Maybe Carol was going on a mission as a spy in Mendelsholme's house because she knew he was a serial killer but he discovered her plot and killed her.
Nessa (The Crysalis Stage)




Gertrude and Helmer were flying back from Iran.The two dragons had deposited the motorcycle and Carol as she instructed. They told her it was not a good idea but she insisted. Now she was dead.
"She wouldn't be Gert , if you hadn't let go of her and the motorcycle too soon." said Helmer
Fandango (Dragon's Lair)



Carol had found a message from Iran on her E Mail. The message was from the dark skinned man telling her of how he was aiding those wanting freedom. He talked Carol into joining him. Carol used a rented motorcycle to travel in Iran but lacked the skill to travel their roads.
Bettygram (Betty's News)



 My ending is that the dark haired man was her half-brother who unbeknownst to her had been left behind by her father on a trip to pre-Shah Iran. Nursing hatred of his father who abandoned him and his mother for the pretty girl in the U.S., he located her, courted her, lured her to Iran and then had her killed. Now Carol's younger sister had better watch HER step.
Reston Friends




I think the man is a freedom fighter and Carol went to Iran to help and well ...
Dianne (Forks Off The Moment)




I think Carol went off with Mike. When she heard his gang was called the Blue Jays, she thought fate had brought them together. Little did she know that Mike was an undercover infiltrator gathering evidence on gang violence. The Iranian-born leader of a rival motorcycle gang killed them both and shipped their bodies & motorcycles to Iran for disposal. Mike's will show up soon.
CJ (Pro Artz)



A lady found dead in Iran, That is a sad thought. Maybe she just wanted to vote and an uprising broke out
Heather (Random Wandering Thoughts)


 She worked for the CIA, the dark skinned man was both her lover and her control in Iran, and she had been running from the Iranian secret police when she was viciously gunned down and dumped in the quarry.
Richard (Mr Richard's Bloggerhood)




This is my version of the ending: She faked her death. The body looked only slightly like her, but after laying in the sun for a few days it didn't really matter. The passport left with the body was all that was used for identification. She was now diguised as an Iranian, working with the dark skinned man and others to try to find out where the votes of the presidential election were kept and then take digital pictures of all of them and transmit copies to other countries so a recount could be done outside Iran. If the recount showed that the other person actually won, this would turn world opinion more strongly against Iran's leaders and give the protesters in Iran a stronger reason to fight.
Stephen (Stephen's Thoughts)

 
So who, in your opinion, deserves the Imagination Award?   Let me know in the comments who get's your vote.