Saturday Wordzzle # 91

I mistakenly posted this last Saturday forgetting that Raven said there was no Wordzzle last week.   So, anyone who commented last week I can tell you you're not going mad you have seen this before!

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

Words for this week's 10-word challenge are: edge, haven, sunglasses, sprightly, telling, frazzled, juicy, quartet, tied, necklace

Within an hour of arriving at the Coconut Haven Resort David had donned his sunglasses and was soothing his frazzled nerves with a glass of rum punch, whilst listening to the quartet that were playing at the pool bar. Reaching for a juicy peach from the bowl on the bar he bit into it as he surveyed the people idling round the pool. He noticed an elderly lady returning to her sun lounger from the aerobics class and thought how sprightly she was, he also noticed the huge diamond necklace she was wearing.

Somehow David and Dorothy (the diamond woman ) were seated together at breakfast and before long Dorothy was telling him her life story and they got on like a house on fire. Three days later David was knocking on Dorothy’s door to escort her down to dinner when he discovered the door was open. Gingerly he pushed it open further and discovered Dorothy tied to the radiator, gagged and bound. He quickly untied her and picking up the phone he dialed reception asking them to call the police. Dorothy managed to tell him that she had opened the door to a knock thinking it was him and a masked man had knocked her off her feet, tied her up and stolen her jewelry from the safe, which had been open because she had been choosing which jewelry to wear. David admonished her saying “I told you to keep your jewelry in the hotel safe!”

He soothed Dorothy’s shattered nerves and accompanied her to the police station, thankfully she wasn’t hurt but she was very shaken and insisted the hotel arrange a flight home for her that day. The jewelry was insured so she wasn’t too upset, it could be replaced she told David and she insisted on taking him to a jewelers to buy him an expensive watch for rescuing her, before she left. David told her it wasn’t necessary but she insisted so he accepted the gift with good grace.

After waving goodbye to Dorothy at the airport David returned to the hotel and took up his place at the pool bar. The barman slid a glass of rum punch across the bar said

“You’re losing your edge David, those diamonds were fake but you still did well at least you got an expensive watch out of it!”


And for the mini: bees, crackling, wooden, staple, earful

Martin cautiously approached the wooden hive wearing the staple beekeepers hat and suit. He was aware of the crackling noise of the veil as he moved and he tried desperately to keep calm about the bees buzzing round his head. Eventually he completed his tasks and was able to remove the beekeeper’s garb. He looked at his supervisor and asked “Did I do OK?”

“Well you didn’t check that the veil was down properly and had this been the real thing instead of a simulation you would have ended up with an earful of bees!”




Megawordzzle

Maggie was a sprightly pensioner; she refused to wear the stereotypical pearl necklace and twinset, instead opting for cutting edge fashion and sunglasses with everything. She had moved into sheltered accommodation at Sunny Haven and had shaken the peace and tranquility of the place as soon as she’d arrived. The first people she had wound up were the quartet of women who virtually ran the place because they’d been there so long. They were like bees buzzing around into everyone’s business, their voices crackling through the corridors as they gossiped about the other residents. It wasn’t long before their noses were firmly out of joint as Maggie took over.

Organisation was Maggie’s forte, she had been an events organizer before she retired and within a couple of weeks of arriving at Sunny Haven she had set up weekly exercise classes and workshops on everything from tiedyeing to making wooden toys. She was horrified when she discovered the residents’ staple diet was sandwiches, as they couldn’t be bothered cooking, so she worked tirelessly until arrangements were made for them to get a proper cooked lunch every day in the common room and a supply of juicy fruit whenever they wanted it. Maggie was always on the telephone to someone giving them an earful about what was needed, telling them that she wanted whatever it was NOW not in a month’s time. She never looked frazzled and the other residents marveled at how she was always on the go.

Life was such much better at Sunny Haven since Maggie’s arrival, everyone agreed, except the quartet. They wouldn’t join in any of the activities and complained about everything Maggie did. Maggie tried to make friends with them and include them, she suggested they form a committee but they wouldn’t hear of it.

When one of the more senior residents, Bill, passed away it came to light that he had no family to take care of his funeral arrangements and no money either with which to pay. The quartet were terribly upset about the situation as they had had known Bill for many years and really liked him. Reluctantly it was to Maggie they turned asking if she knew if there was any way a decent funeral could be arranged for him. Maggie sorted everything out and Bill got a decent send off with all his friends from Sunny Haven attending, she had even arranged a sit down meal for everyone after the funeral. From then on the quartet thought Maggie was wonderful with all her contacts and know-how and were falling over each other to join her committee. From then on things just got better and better and Maggie was in her element.

What they didn’t know was that Maggie wasn’t short of money, she had been married to a very wealthy man and inherited enough money to keep her comfortably for the rest of her life, after he died. She only lived at Sunny Haven for the company because she had no family. They also didn’t know, and they never would, that she had paid for Bill’s funeral herself. Maggie was happy again.

Saturday Wordzzle # 90

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


Words for this week's 10-word challenge are: love is a many splendored thing, trucks, inspector, symbols, rising, organic, liberation, costly, smug, naughty

Inspector Williams examined the rising sun symbols which had been carved into the skin on the body, which had just been discovered in the flat. There were model trucks on the floor suggesting a child had been playing but there was no-one else in the flat. ‘Love is a many splendored thing’ was playing on the radio and Inspector Williams wondered if this had been a lover’s tiff which had turned into a costly ending for the woman. A search of the rest of the house revealed no clues – a fridge full of organic food, some naughty underwear in a drawer and a poster proclaiming ‘Liberation for Nepal’. Williams roared at the SOCO team “Find a clue, any clue, I will solve this case!”

“Smug git” whispered one of the team under his breath.
“Cut” shouted the director “that’s a wrap!”


And for the mini: the nature of the beast, identical, charcoal, braggart, vacation


Identical twins John & Edward Braggart ‘s vacation wasn’t going to plan. The nature of the beast was that they were both suffering from abominable wind and there were no charcoal tablets to be had for love nor money. Consequently they were confined to their room, so as not to embarrass their parents and offend other guests.


Megawordzzle


James, the customs inspector, stood waiting patiently at the port with a smug look on his face. He really enjoyed his job, stopping vehicles as they came off the ferry, especially the trucks, hoping they had some contrabrand. He was a braggart, constantly telling all who would listen how many people he has seen prosecuted due to his vigilance. His friends thought him too zealous and found his bragging too much at times.


Waving for the truck to pull over, James marched across to ask for the paperwork and was surprised to see a very attractive young woman driving. The young woman smiled at James as she handed over the necessary paperwork, James couldn’t take his eyes off her; he could feel his temperature rising, amongst other things, such was the nature of the beast. All the time James was checking the papers the woman watched him, her charcoal eyes holding his gaze.

“Please open the back doors” James requested “so I can check the contents”.
She jumped down from the cab and opened the doors of the truck. The contents were identical crates which were all marked ‘ORGANIC’ and with various symbols painted on them. James jumped in the truck to count the number of crates whilst the woman leant on the side humming ‘love is a many splendored thing’. James was getting really hot and bothered and he went to get down from the truck the woman moved so that he had to brush up against her to get out. He blushed and apologized but the woman just laughed and gave him a naughty wink. James signed the papers and told the woman she could go on her way. She climbed back in her cab and blew him a kiss as she drove away.
Twenty miles down the motorway the woman pulled into the services and opened the back of the truck.


“OK, you can come out now” she said as she opened one of the crates. The man crawled from the crate and stretched his cramped body glad for the liberation.

“That was no vacation, believe me! It was a good idea of yours to hum that song for as long as the inspector was in the truck, so I would know to keep quiet. Do you think he suspected anything?” he asked.

“Yes he did” said one of the police officers who had surrounded the truck. “He noticed one of the crates wasn’t marked up the same as the others and called us in to follow you. Rather a costly mistake for you. You’re both under arrest.

James had triumphed again!



I won't be around to visit you today as I'm our all day (and night) celebrating my birthday, so I'll catch up with you on Sunday.  Have a great weekend everyone.

Saturday Wordzzles # 89

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

Words for this week's 10-word challenge are: officer, candid, drowning, turtles, sugar-coated, prospecting, shame on you, recliner, luggage, brains

“Here, have one of these sugar coated turtles” said Albert to his wife, who was sitting in the recliner reading a magazine on prospecting.

“Shame on you Albert, you know I’m on a diet!” said Alice.

“Don’t you be worrying about those luggage handles, I love ‘em” said Albert candidly.

“You mean ‘Love Handles’ Albert, get your brains in gear” laughed Alice.

“Whatever” said Albert, suddenly startled by a knock on the door.

“That’ll be the police officer who said he’d call to take your statement about the accidental drowning of your ex wife” said Alice. “By the way, when are we moving into her house on the Klondike?”



And for the mini: paragon of virtue, cats-in-the-cradle, swamp, sprinkles, garbage

 Smokey was licking the sprinkles from baby’s chin.
He’d waited until mother took the garbage out to the bin.
“The cat’s in the cradle again” mother cried
“A paragon of virtue you told me, you lied
When you asked me to take it in from the cold,
Take it back to the swamp where it belongs!”



Megawordzzle

Ali ‘Sprinkles’ Cordell, the lead singer with the group, ‘Sugar Coated Turtles’ had a magical quality that endeared her to everyone who heard her sing, and so the group had been signed with one of the biggest labels in the recording industry. The group were on tour after the release of their first album, ‘Recliner’. Being from Louisiana they sang mostly ‘Swamp Pop’ but their first hit had been a cover version of the folk/rock song ‘Cats in the Cradle’, which had gone straight to number one. The tour was a great success and they had become good friends with their support band ‘Paragons of Virtue’.

Sprinkles was in love with the lead singer from ‘Paragons of Virtue’, whom she likened to Richard Gere. He looked nothing like Richard Gere but she thought he had brains and he reminded her of the part Richard Gere played in ‘Officer and a Gentleman’. Well that was until he left her drowning in tears.

Picking up his bag he told her candidly “I don’t want to be tied down, I was just prospecting honey” before walking away.

“Shame on you” Sprinkles railed. “You belong in the garbage can, you rat!”

And so Sugar Coated Turtles’ new hit single was born -

‘He Walked Away From Love With Just His Luggage’.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Saturday Wordzzle # 69

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: Chorus line, clam chowder, apples, jack-in-the-box, puddles, Iran, quarry, housekeeping, speed, letter

Iran Mendelsholme had just enjoyed a dish of clam chowder at ‘The Jack In The Box’ diner when he noticed a young woman speed jumping over puddles in the road, which he thought resembled a quarry because of all the pot holes. He opened his briefcase and took out the letters he had received responding to his advertisement. He had decided to hold the interviews here in the diner and suspected that the young woman was one of the applicants. She looked like a chorus line girl he thought but one shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover he admonished himself, he wouldn’t prejudge her.

Entering the diner the young woman looked around then walked over to Iran and introduced herself “Mr Mendelsholme? I’m Becky Apples, I’m here about the housekeeping job” she said, thrusting out a hand. He liked Becky straight away, much prettier than his last housekeeper, who was now buried in the cellar of his house.




For the mini challenge: motorcycle, grandiose, summer, flying off the handle, blue jays

Mike was the leader of the ‘Blue Jays’ motorcycle gang. One minute he was making grandiose gestures like buying them all new leathers the next he was flying off the handle about something and nothing but one thing was sure he made their summer fun and exciting with his madcap ways.


Megawordzzle


Carol ‘Blue’ Jays was flying off the handle in her usual grandiose way, so full of her own self importance like she was the star of the show instead of a member of the chorus line. She shared a house with Tania and Anita who had asked her, politely, if she wouldn’t mind tidying up her things. Carol informed them she didn’t ‘do housekeeping’ as she flounced out.

Tania and Anita found Carol infuriating they were forever picking up after her but the three had been friends since University and had a lot of fun together. It was they who had christened Carol ‘Blue’ because of her surname. Carol was a bit of a mystery, they never knew where she’d be or what she did, she was very vague about where she got all her money but they had their suspicions. They’d tried to pump her for information but she wouldn’t tell them anything, she would just touch the side of her nose and say “That’s for me to know”.

Carol was like a jack-in-the-box, up one minute, down the next, the girls never really knew where they were up to with her, which was really annoying but she was a great cook, her clam chowder was to die for. “There’s apples in it” Carol informed them when they asked how she made it, “it’s an old family recipe”.

A letter arrived and Carol packed her suitcase. “I’m off for the summer” she told them “expect me when you see me and take care of Puddles”, meaning her cat.

They didn’t hear from her again. Six weeks later her parents came to collect her belongings and told them she had been found dead in a quarry in Iran with a motorcycle next to her. They didn’t have an explanation except the police thought she had been travelling at speed on the bike and careered off the road.

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.

Now’s your chance to finish the story – what are your answers to these questions?

Saturday Wordzzle # 67

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: nausea, everything is on sale, expect great things, frying pan, pledge, birds of a feather, stick, Saturday morning, liver and bacon, caterpillars

“I expect great things this Saturday morning” said the store manager. “Everything is on sale from walking sticks to frying pans and we must all do our bit, like birds of a feather and all that you know. I give you my pledge if we sell everything today I’ll treat you all to liver and bacon for lunch at the café.”

That was a promise guaranteed to make everyone nauseas and ensure they were as slow as caterpillars when it came to selling the stock!

For the mini challenge: aggravation, protective, bargain basement, take me out to the ballgame, break a leg

“I’m stuck here, in this bargain basement of an apartment, day after day with nothing but aggravation from the neighbours. Trust you to break a leg when you promised to take me out to the ballgame” she said, putting a protective hand over her stomach and her growing child. “You’re a waste of space” she said. She got no response; he wasn’t listening – as usual!

Megawordzzle


It was Saturday morning and he was having a lie-in, after being out with the lads the night before, when he’d heard her rattling the frying pan on the cooker and the smell of liver and bacon assaulted his nostrils waking him with a feeling of nausea. Then Carrie was shouting him for him to get up.

“You promised to take me out to the ballgame and shopping first, everything is on sale at the mall and it’s not bargain basement stuff either!” she called.

When Carrie agreed to his night out with the boys she said “OK but I expect great things in return!” and of course he’d agreed, anything to avoid aggravation. He didn’t mind going to the ballgame, but shopping was his penance.

The night out had gone down well, they’d gone on a pub crawl and ended up at a club, after which he didn’t remember a lot. He opened one eye and scanned the room; he was in the spare bedroom so he wouldn’t have disturbed Cassie when he came in. He threw the covers back and tried to swing his legs out of bed, only to find one leg wouldn’t move. Looking down he was amazed to see his right leg encased in plaster! “What the f….?” he said to himself. How on earth had that happened, he couldn’t remember a damned thing. Picking up his mobile phone he dialled Gary’s number.

“Gary, what the hell happened last night, how did I manage to break a leg?” he asked.

“I didn’t know you’d broken your leg mate, you were dancing on a table and fell off and cracked your head so we took you to hospital and left you there” Gary told him.

“Oh thanks a lot, what happened to ‘we have to stick together, birds of a feather’ and all that?” he said.

Well there was nothing for it he’d have to get downstairs and face the music, Cassie would be furious. He grabbed a robe and made his way downstairs like a caterpillar – slowly.

Of course Cassie went berserk and gave him a right ear-bashing; she made his life hell all weekend. He vowed to take the ‘pledge’, no more beer, ever again.

Sunday came and he told Cassie he’d have to ring work and explain he wouldn’t be in.

“No need” said Cassie “I’m going to cut the plaster off!”

“You can’t do that! I know you’re a nurse but my leg won’t have set yet” he told her clutching his plaster protectively.

“You haven’t broken your leg. My friend Jackie was on duty at the hospital when you were brought in drunk and she telephoned me. I told her to get your leg plastered and send you home in a taxi. I hope you’ve learned your lesson!” said Cassie in-between laughing fits.

I'm off on another jaunt so I'll catch up with everyone on Sunday - Have a great weekend.

Saturday Wordzzle # 66

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: swashbuckler, heads-up, dry martini, recovery, jungle gym, whiskers, bathing suit, spade, circular reasoning, abrasive

“Heads up boys” cried Captain Whiskers as he somersaulted across the deck of the boat in his bathing suit, waving a plastic cutlass in an effort to look like a swashbuckler.

The abrasive boss of the cruise ship told him many times in a round about way that he was just a tad too enthusiastic, but circular reasoning just didn’t have the desired effect, he still used the boat like a jungle gym. Eventually the boss had to call a spade a spade and tell him straight to lay off the dry martini whilst he was working or he would find himself in recovery in the local hospital.


The Mini Challenge: butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, stagnation, chart, star crossed lovers, apricot brandy

Sipping her apricot brandy, looking as though butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, the author of ‘The Star Crossed Lovers’ checked the book chart to find out how her latest novel was doing this week, only to find it was still stagnating at the bottom of the list.

Megawordzzle

Kitty’s phone rang, it was her friend Jean giving her the heads up about a jungle gym she’d noticed for sale in the local paper, it was a bargain and Kitty had been looking for one for ages to install in the garden for her two kids. Since Ged, her husband, walked out on her and the kids she had become an avid bargain hunter, she had to be, money was tight.

The man at the other end of the telephone seemed rather abrasive but she made a note of the address, which was within walking distance, and said she’d be there about two o’clock to take a look. From his voice she imagined him to be somewhat of an ‘old colonel with huge whiskers’ type and was pleasantly surprised when the door was opened by a good looking man about twenty five. He looked a bit like Errol Flynn Kitty thought, a proper swashbuckler, the sort of man with muscles capable of wielding a spade. Putting on her ‘butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth’ face she made small talk while he led her through the house to the garden to view the gym, all the while trying to convince her with circular reasoning what a bargain it was. He explained that he had not long moved in and the gym was already in the garden but he didn’t have any children so had no use for it. The gym was just what she was looking for and David (the man) kindly offered to deliver and rebuild it in her garden.

“How kind” she simpered in a voice as sweet as apricot brandy.

Kitty wrote down her address and telephone number, the number on the pretence that he may not be able to find the house when really she was hoping he may keep it and ring her in the future for a date.

“I’ll be there about seven” he told her.

Kitty rushed to school to pick the kids up then hurried them home and gave them their tea after which she packed them off to her mother’s for a couple of hours. Taking a quick shower she changed into a dress that resembled a bathing suit it was that brief and quickly tidied her hair and put on some make-up. She just had time to check her astrological chart and pour herself a dry martini for dutch courage before he arrived.

The doorbell rang and Kitty almost fell over her own feet getting to the door. Opening the door with a flourish Kitty put on her sweetest smile which froze on her face.

“Hi, this is my partner Paul” he said introducing the man standing by his side. “He’s come to give me a lift.”

A partner? He’d never mentioned a partner, especially not a male partner!

Making a quick recovery from the shock Kitty showed them to the garden and ran upstairs to throw on a pair of jeans and a sweater.

“Back to stagnation for me” she thought “housework and looking after the kids, I’m never going to meet anyone! We were star crossed lovers, never meant to be.”