It's arrived.........

This is so exciting!



At long last one for the ladies.......

Saturday Wordzzle # 88

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: Cute, come with me to the Casbah, bloodhound, respiration, Facebook, Canada Geese, modern, gravity, spider webs, sea shells.

Mary had just had a conversation about sea shells on Facebook with her friend from Canada. "Geese" she thought suddenly, as she heard a flock of them flying by. The noise the geese were making awoke Cutey, her bloodhound, from his nap in front of the fire. "Come with me to the Casbah Cutey" Mary said as she tried to defy gravity by dragging the huge dog into her modern kitchen. The effort caused respiration problems for Mary, who was no spring chicken, and she noticed some spider webs on the light fitting and promptly forgot the reason why she's dragged Cutey into the kitchen. Mary's attention span was getting shorter!

And for the mini: curiosity killed the cat, charming Victorian, railroad tracks, tower, salt and pepper


“Pass the salt and pepper” said Dorian,
Hardly a charming Victorian
Reading the newspaper and a story about power
Whilst his wife stacked dishes, up like a tower.
Another story about old railroad tracks
had Dorian questioning the facts.
Then, whilst reading over Dorian’s shoulder,
His wife didn’t see the discarded folder.
As she tripped over the folder and slipped on the mat,
Dorian whispered
“Curiosity killed the cat!”


Megawordzzle

Miranda was not past her sell by date yet, she may have salt and pepper hair and gravity was having it’s effect on her body, but she was still modern in her outlook on life. She was an active member on Facebook and recently had got to know a man who had invited her to ‘come with me to the Casbah?” Miranda found this invitation rather cute from someone who seemed more like a rather charming Victorian gentleman than a Sheikh. Actually Mason lived in London and the casbah was a pub called ‘The Flying Canada Geese’ near the Telecom Tower in Marylebone, apparently.

They had been ‘talking’ for about six months and Miranda had been like a bloodhound in her quest to find out all about Mason before she agreed to meet him. She’d heard too many horror stories of meetings with people over the internet and didn’t believe the old saying ‘curiosity killed the cat’ – the more she could find out the better. Miranda hadn’t been totally honest with Mason especially regarding her age and where she was from. She was what some people might term as being from the wrong side of the railroad tracks with a chequered past and 30 years older than the age of 22 she’d led him to believe. Luckily no photographs had been exchanged so she had been able to ensnare him in her spider webs of lies but now it was time to face the music. Well what was a woman to do when they are being wooed by a young man over the internet? She didn’t want to frighten him off before they had a chance to get to know each other!

The day arrived for the date and Miranda took great care with her appearance, she couldn’t make herself look 22 but she did look good. She wore the earrings made from sea shells which would be how Mason would recognise her and she was to look for a man wearing a red tie. Miranda arrived at the pub half an hour earlier than was necessary to give herself time to get her respiration rate down to normal, after the long walk from the tube station, and have a drink before Mason arrived.

Miranda was a nervous wreck, jumping like a startled rabbit every time the door of the pub opened. Little did she know that Mason had arrived before her and had been watching her for the last half hour, just out of sight in the other bar. At the appointed meeting time Mason decided to introduce himself. OK she wasn’t exactly how she’d described herself but she was quite attractive and presentable.

“Miranda?” he asked.

Miranda looked up into the dark eyes - Mason hadn’t been completely truthful either. He must be at least 50 but, hey, he was smart and handsome - this could probably work after all!

Friday 55 Flash Fiction # 95 Jobsworth

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.

“It’s not part of your uniform” the employer said

“I am not taking it off” said the employee

“Then it’s a disciplinary matter” replied the employer

“Do it” said the employee who then reported it to the press.

Now the employer has changed their policy and employees are allowed to wear

remembrance poppies at work.

I bent the rules today - this is not fiction but it is 55 words, words that say a lot about the state of this country of mine! This actually happened in Lancashire.

The employer, Bodycare, actually threatened an employee with disciplinary action if she did not remove the poppy. You can read about it here.


The public and a local MP kicked up such a stink that the company has changed their policy but, I think, only because there were calls for the public to boycott their stores.


How disgusting is it that people are not allowed to support our fallen and injured service personnel?


I despair for this country of mine I really do!

Dona Nobis Pacem......

Today is Blogblast for Peace.

If you aren't already flying your Peace Globe go get one and fly it.   Then go to Mimi (Mimi Writes) and sign Mr. Linky so other Blogblasters can come visit you.

You can get your Peace Globe here, it has instructions on how to do it, then post it on your blog today.

Please join in and make your voice heard, it will make a difference.

Portrait of Words # 20

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.

The challenge is you are given a number of pictures and must use some/all of the pictures to create a story.

Madge and Ethel were so excited about their trip to Sydney, Australia; neither had been abroad before so it was a huge adventure. Once they had gotten over their jet lag they started on the itinerary they’d drawn up before leaving England and first on the list was Sydney Opera House.

A shopping expedition at the Queen Victoria Building was also on the ‘to do’ list, Ethel and Madge were thrilled with the shops and the fashions the mannequins displayed in the windows. The pair were fascinated by the two mechanical clocks, which featured dioramas and moving figures from moments in Australian history. They were intrigued to see a sealed letter displayed in a dome, which was written by Queen Elizabeth II in 1985 and is to be opened in 2085 by the future Lord Mayor of Sydney and read aloud to the People of Sydney. No-one knows what the letter contains except the Queen.

A visit to Sydney Old Town had been recommended to them and they decided to go because there were rumours that it was closing down. Something that proved to be true as it did in fact close in 2003, the year after their visit.

They thoroughly enjoyed themselves wandering round the streets discovering the lifestyle of Old Sydney Town, seeing redcoats on parade, hearing the cannons and watching stories unfold before their very eyes by the actors and actresses such as pistol duels and a convict rebellion. They sat at the back of the Magistrates Court and heard convicts being tried, convicted and punished, as well as having a ride on a bullock drawn wagon being driven by a jovial man, who looked like and ageing Gerard Depardieu with a moustache.

It was whilst riding on the wagon that Madge started feeling unwell, she complained of stomach pains and was sweating profusely, then complained of feeling sick. Suddenly Ethel screamed “A spider, a spider!” pointing to a huge black thing scurrying across the bales of hay they were sitting on.

The driver pulled on the reins and stopped the cart telling everyone to get off immediately. “Were you bitten?” he asked Madge. There was a class of children on a school outing on the ride and he asked them if they had seen the spider, they said they hadn’t. Taking no chances he radioed for help and within minutes a car had arrived with a first aider who quickly telephoned for the air ambulance thinking that it was a possibility Madge had been bitten by a Funnel Web Spider from Ethel’s description of it. Madge by this time was in panic mode and feeling decidedly unwell. The first aider tried to reassure Madge by giving her the anti-venom, which they always kept because of the distance from the nearest hospital, and telling her they were only sending her to hospital as a precaution and she would be fine.

After making sure that nobody else had been bitten the first aider suggested they carried on with the rest of the tour and the children were ushered away by their teacher, who decided to take them to the tuck shop to take their minds off what had happened.

Standing by the bubble gum machine the children were laughing and joking and the teacher thought how insensitive children could be, they weren’t worried about what had happened to poor Madge at all. Luckily for the children, the teacher didn’t see the realistic looking replica Funnel Web Spider that they were passing round.

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

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 Blo gblast for Peace ever - it's really easy honest.

"There is no way to peace. Peace is the way."

- A.J. Muste.

Awards....

Pam at 'Finding Pam' kindly passed this award on to me. Thanks m'dear.

This one comes with unusual instructions. You have to doctor the list of recipients below by taking out #1 and moving everyone up, then put your own name and link at the bottom. So #1 becomes #2, #3 becomes #2 etc., etc.


1. Lyla
2.Mr. D
3.Sweet_shelo
4. Chris
5. Kaye
6. Yami
7. Mizhelle
8. Hootn’ Anni
9.Thom
10. finding pam

So, the above list now becomes:

1.Mr. D
2.Sweet_shelo
3. Chris
4. Kaye
5. Yami
6. Mizhelle
7. Hootn’ Anni
8.Thom
9. finding pam

10. Akelamalu

Get it?

Also the lovely Thom at 'Thom's Place 4 Well Whatever' bestowed this award on me too.


Thankyou Thom.

I can't choose between you all so anyone who comments on this post I want you to take the awards for yourself and pass them on.


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



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.

If there is to be peace in the world,

There must be peace in the nations.

If there is to be peace in the nations,

There must be peace in the cities.

If there is to be peace in the cities,

There must be peace between neighbors.

If there is to be peace between neighbors,

There must be peace in the home.

If there is to be peace in the home,

There must be peace in the heart.

-- Lao Tzu (570-490 B.C.)

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!

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

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.