Sunday 31 October 2010

Dogs,Cats and Mice! ... I Saw Sunday - Week 7

A random assortment of things seen this week for  I Saw Sunday

here are mine ...



Our cat loves to sleep on the sofa in our spare room and our dog lays on the back of it and looks out of the window.
As we were having a new sofa to put in there, the old one was taken out ... but the animals obviously hadn't seen it go.
Grace our dog took it remarkably well after an initial comical widening of the eyes and double take,
however ...
Cracker was very unsettled by the whole missing bed scenario and just stood and stared at the space for at least 5 minutes before deciding it was simply impossible to sleep or settle anywhere else for the rest of the day.

(they've both decided now though that they LOVE the new and improved viewing station/bed/sofa)

and

Two young boys at the park stripped to the waist doing back flips, kung fu moves, hand stands on two hands and then on one, and then bouncing on the one hand, and then doing tumbling like you see the gymnasts do on the television ... I was VERY impressed and stood at a distance partially obscured by a tree with Grace, watching, then suddenly had the thought I may look a bit suspect watching two half dressed young boys in a park from behind a tree so we carried on with our walk. 

and

Two other not so young lads running very fast to catch the bus ... and missing it!
 hehe

... am I awful?

and

My partner encountering our little resident mouse in the kitchen leading to a full scale panic, he now clumps his feet to make a noise whenever he goes in there just in case it 'gets him'.
I keep shouting "THE LITTLE MOUSE" every now and again to make him jump, which he does every time I do it!

hehe ... hours of fun

... I really am awful aren't I.

(as you may have gauged by my naming our resident ... the 'little' mouse... I've grown quite fond of it, however humane mouse traps are about to be placed and he is to be relocated ... somewhere nice)

and lastly

Two gorgeous scruffy tufty-faced dogs rushing to say hello to me, wagging their tails, and anything else they could, whilst smiling their heads off ... a complete joy that left me smiling for ages.

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Wisp - Three Word Wednesday

Three Word Wednesday where you write something using the three prompt words.
This week's words are  ... Fragile, rampant and tremor.


It was a fragile situation, she'd seen a number of hairs in the plughole and his wisp on top was ... well ... just that, a wisp. 
She'd told him to shave it off like Yul Brynner and strut his stuff, but he was unnaturally attached to the last few follicles. 
The conversation would arise daily but he would hold his ground as if he were Samson and the remaining strands held some mystical power, but the day finally came when they had to go.
"They're coming off, the wind caught them while we were out today and they stood on end like you'd been electrocuted!"
"So."
"They look silly!"
"I don't care I'm keeping them."
"Look, it's not just that" ...  there was a tremor in her voice,  "you're starting to remind me of,"  she paused knowing what it meant if she said it ...."Uncle Horace!"
His face dropped.
"No!"
"Yes."
"Not that rampant old geezer who everybody said had more hair up his nose and in his ears than he did on his head?"
She nodded.
"Get the razor!"

Monday 25 October 2010

Cherry Door Knocking ... I Saw Sunday - Week 6

A random assortment of things seen this week for  I Saw Sunday

here are mine ...



A wonderful stringy cloud that looked exactly like a lasso that prompted me to shout Yahoo in my head, and several more times later in the day because of it

and

My darling cat playing 'cherry door knocking' ... or meowing.






She stands at the door meowing until I open it, then looks at me for a second




then ....



clears off!

I'm sure I can hear a little purry hehe as she goes.




and

A cab ride sitting in the little seat that faces the back window when a van pulled up behind. I looked up just as the man driving it put his finger up his nose catching my eye as he did it. It was only seconds that our eyes met, but with his finger firmly inserted in his nose it felt like FOREVER! a very uncomfortable moment ... for both of us  :o)

and lastly

Two muntjac deers running across the field at sunrise one morning as I opened the curtains ... a wonderful start to the day.

Wednesday 20 October 2010

Gorgeous - Three Word Wednesday

Three Word Wednesday where you write something using the three prompt words.
This week's words are  ... Effect, Immense and Shimmer


Dressing from head to toe in black was not working, the slimming effect was now beyond a mere colour.  She had to face it, her bum was no longer big ... it was immense!  She rifled through her knicker drawer for the magic pants, but pushed it shut again knowing that she'd need a real magician for this job.  Not a girl to be down for long, she grabbed her make up and set about her face.  The full works, eyelashes, liner, glossy red lips and a bronzing glow dusted over her face, neck and cleavage gave her a shimmer and glow that shouted 'check me out'.  Then there was the hair, root lift, lacquer, large and curly, tousled to perfection.  She squeezed her stretch jeans on with the aid of a coat hanger to pull up the zip, and she was ready.

"If I'm gonna be big, I'm gonna be big, beautiful and proud!" she said, and with a flick of her hair she was out the door working her behind like it needed a warning sign on it.

She arrived at her date with her head held high and a smile that could fire an engine.

"You look gorgeous, Hannah!"

She planted a generous kiss full on his lips and said,

"That's coz I am, Mick ... that's coz I am!"

Mirror - Magpie Tales # 37

Magpie Tales  hosts a weekly writing prompt, write a small vignette or poem using the photo below as your inspiration.

She lay on the bed, swaddling the sheets around her, the mirror beside.
Tears burned from her eyes in a familiar silent stream.
Grabbing the mirror she hurled it across the room, shards of glass splintering and fracturing.
Rushing in, he gathered her in his arms holding her tight, holding her together.
Cradling her face and looking deep into her eyes, he whispered,
"I wish you could see what I see."

Tuesday 19 October 2010

The Boat

When our daughter was about eight, we hired a boat for a weekend for a canal break.
The boat we had was quite small and made of fibre glass and had a pull start engine at the back a little bit like a lawn mower.
My daughter and I were instantly nervous as her dad has an almost pathological ability to break any machine and has broken at least four lawn mowers!
Well we tried not to think about it and off we set, myself, my partner, our daughter and Annie our lovely dog who was the mum of our beautiful dog Grace.
We had a wonderful time, our daughter and Annie wore life jackets, and the locks proved entertaining to say the least, but the part of the journey where it all came unstuck was
THE TUNNEL.
It was a mile long, damp, cold and pitch black, and half way in  ...  the engine died on us.
Not the end of the world you may think, except that is when the person in charge and driving the boat all of a sudden flies into an unprecedented panic.
Well there he was pulling at the engine string like a man possessed, until, yes you guessed it, he pulled it clean off!
So there we were, stuck in the middle of a mile long tunnel in total darkness.
I could hear this very high pitched voice that I barely recognised which then suddenly raised at least four octaves higher into a blood curdling scream as he saw the light of a sixty foot long barge coming up the tunnel toward us.
That was it, he completely and utterly flipped out.
"We're dead ... we're gonna die in here .. our boats only stupid fibre glass, that thing's steel it's gonna crash into us ... sink us ... we're going to DIE!!"  ... you get the picture.
Well I'm not easily panicked, thank goodness, so I told our daughter to take Annie and go below, which she did after a little conspiratorial look between us both acknowledging the fact that dad had actually gone nuts.
I then looked at my partner and thought of the scene in the Poseidon Adventure when a woman had lost it and was slapped across the face to bring her to her senses ... I considered it for a moment, but then decided  it best to take control of the boat first.
I grabbed the poles on the top of the boat and thrust one at him and took one myself and clambered down the boat to the other end then shouted.
"Use it to push us to the side! "
Luckily he heard me through his panic and did as I said, his eyes wild as the barge approached.
It passed by with ample room, without touching, and without even a hint of sinking or killing us!
Anyway, as we were still alive I suggested we used the poles to push our way along the tunnel and out to the other end.
By the time we had reached daylight again my lovely partner had regained his normal demeanor and was now taking charge admirably by hailing a passing boat for a tow.
All was right with the world again and we sailed noiselessly down the river behind the kind towing family.
Well we'd survived,
and as I looked at him standing there behind the wheel, there was just  one thing that kept playing over and over in my mind.
It wasn't that he'd broken yet another machine,
nor that he may have psychologically damaged our daughter for life.
No ...
the only thing that kept running through my mind,
over and over was
.... he screams like a girl!!

Kittens - Monday's Child # 17

Monday's Child prompt for children's poetry or verse


Snuggle up darling kittens
one, two and three
and I'll tell you a story
of how things will be.

You're the luckiest kittens
that ever there were
as mummy loves you all
to the very tips of your fur.

So close those tired eyes
and drift softly to sleep
and know that I'm with you
and you safe I will keep.

My darling little kittens
one, two and three
goodnight and god bless you
I'm as proud as can be.

Sunday 17 October 2010

Coots, Trees and a Trip! ... I Saw Sunday - Week 5

A random assortment of things seen this week for  I Saw Sunday

here are mine ...


The coots at the lake causing trouble ... again!

I love them, they're the ones with the white heads, all the other birds on the lake just go about their business, but there's always something kicking off with the coots and they shove their heads out in front and start tanking through the water peeping and chasing one another.
They really make me laugh ... and remind me of my partner just a little more than perhaps they should! ... hehe


I was determined to take some pictures this week, but only managed one on a dull day that doesn't really show how beautiful this avenue of trees really is, but I
popped it in any way. This is one of my usual walks with Grace that leads us down to the lake.  I'd love to have a picture of them in each season as they are just glorious and it's such a pleasure to walk there, although Grace's favourite part of our walk is when we get to the lake. She runs at every single bird that's still on the side with her tail wagging making sure they get in the lake in double quick time, it makes her day and makes me laugh everytime too ... an absolute delight to watch.

and lastly

I saw a man trip over, not completely, that wouldn't be funny, but just enough for comic entertainment. A quick shuffle followed by some arm action, followed by the regained footing and then a quick scan to see if anyone had seen ... classic.

Saturday 16 October 2010

Trick or Treat - Saturday Centus # 24

Week 24 of Saturday Centus this weeks prompt is to use up to 100 words (not including the prompt) using the line .....   "Trick or treat!" they shouted as the door opened"



"Trick or treat!" they shouted as the door opened.

The man stood towering above the little witches and goblins and started slowly to hunch his back whilst contorting his face, he then rolled his eyes and let out a blood curdling scream.

The little witches and goblins mouths dropped open as they stood momentarily rooted to the spot with fear. Then very slowly they edged their way back from the door and out through the garden gate .... then turned and ran as fast as they could, little green legs and capes flying in the air.

The man straightened up, stopped screaming and went back inside.

"What on earth was all that screaming about, George?"

"Oh, nothing ... just making sure that they were the last trick or treaters to come to our door this Halloween."         

Thursday 14 October 2010

Window - Magpie Tales # 36

Magpie Tales  hosts a weekly writing prompt, write a small vignette or poem using the photo below as your inspiration.


You opened that window
even though you knew
I needed it to remain closed
always
and you watched as I fumbled
desperate to draw it shut
tears forming, crying in
heaving sobs
body trembling.
You watched as I stood naked
unable to hide
clutching my body
falling
foetal to the ground.
Then you pushed it shut
as if it hadn't happened
without saying a word
and it wasn't my window any more
for you'd seen through it
and it never closed
not completely
not ever again.

Wednesday 13 October 2010

Enough - Three Word Wednesday

Three Word Wednesday where you write something using the three prompt words.
This week's words are  ... Absolve, Hiss and Ridicule.



That was it, she'd had enough!
It was the last time he'd ridicule her, if he thought a scrawny bunch of flowers would absolve him this time ... he was wrong.
He was always doing it, jokes galore at her expense and he wouldn't stop no matter how much she asked, but she knew his achilles heel ... the phobia.
She'd placed a toy snake equipped with programmable hiss on the passenger seat in the car under his jacket.
Waving him off, she gave a smug smile knowing it would wriggle and hiss in fifteen minutes, right when he was in the centre of town. It wasn't exactly sophisticated but it was enough to make him jump, she smiled to herself as she turned on the radio and made some toast.
It wasn't until the local news came on the radio that she had a brief moment of conscience.
"Hello, everyone, just a short bulletin to let you know to avoid the centre of town this morning, everything is at a total standstill. A man abandoned his car in the middle of the traffic at around 9.15 and ran screaming through the streets shouting SNAKES! SNAKES! It appears he has locked himself in a toilet and won't come out, he is yet to be identified."
She stood frozen to the spot for at least five seconds, then reached over and turned the radio off.
"Oh, well .... at least he'll think twice before he makes one of his 'If her brains were dynamite she wouldn't have enough to blow her hat off ' jokes to his mates again!"

Monday 11 October 2010

I Wake

*
I wake,
my mind pouring
through files of memories
placing each one at random,
unannounced, fresh before my eyes in
 the shadow of night, to be seen with more detail, 
more clarity than ever before, and I'm lost in a world 
of unwanted thoughts, spiraling inward in spite of me,
proficient, ruthless, finding just  the right nerve to
tap and draw, then I feel your hand rest on the
small of my back, unnaturally warm like
summer, and I breathe, and the 
darkness retreats as the 
files close, secured,
banished inspite 
of me, and I
close my
eyes,
and
 I
.
.
sleep

Hubble and Bubble - Monday's Child # 16

Monday's Child prompt for children's poetry or verse


They'd hubble and bubble
and sometimes make trouble
but their potions were full of delight.
With bat wings and mice tails
and green toads and slime snails
they'd chuckle when causing a fright.
But the spells they liked most
would puff pink in the air
spreading smiles, hugs and candy
for everyone to share.

Sunday 10 October 2010

Microfiction Monday # 52

This weeks picture prompt from Microfiction Monday at Stony River
The task: a tweetable 140 characters or fewer inspired by the picture below...


She'd put up with his quirks over the years
but when he came home in that blue dress
asking to be called Rita -
she knew it was time to go!

Nuts - Sunday 160

Monkey Mans - Sunday 160 - where you must use only 160 characters (including spaces) and post on Sunday.
  He just knew the new squirrel was stealing his nuts,
he had 45 acorns and 98 hazelnuts the last time he checked -
he'd get proof if it was the last thing he did!

A Mouse Manoeuvre! ... I Saw Sunday - Week 4

A random assortment of things seen this week for  I Saw Sunday

here are mine ...



A flock of pheasants feasting on fallen apples in our garden ... I bet you had a job saying that! hehe  ...  no honestly there really were, they come in from the field next to our house and eat off the berry bushes too, we're sure they think it's their local cafe.

A little mouse in our house that ran under the sofa that my partner was laying on, prompting him to do what I can only describe as a gymnastic manoeuvre resulting in him standing upright in one swift movement!

An incredible swirling mist that began forming just above the ground across the field and through the trees one evening that looked just like a scene from the Hammer House films, absolutely amazing to see .... and just a little bit creepy too ... so I was glad that I wasn't on my own :o)

and

An incredible jet black mushroom with frilly edging that has grown just outside our gates .... undoubtedly the most impressive mushroom I've ever seen.

Saturday 9 October 2010

D.I.Y - Saturday Centus # 23

Week 23 of Saturday Centus this weeks prompt is to use up to 100 words (not including the prompt) using the line .. "if I had a hammer"


"Move away from the tool box."
"But if I had a hammer I could -"
"No!"
"It wasn't my fault the last time, the dog barked and -"
"What? Snatched the hammer from your hand and hit the window frame smashing four windows."
"You're just being silly now."
"And you're dangerous and shouldn't be allowed near a tack, let alone a hammer."
"Right that's it, I'm not doing it!"
"Thank goodness."
"What am I supposed to do now, then?"
"Well, you could mow the garden."
"With the new lawn mower?"
"Of course."
"Yes!"

.... Bless him.

Looking - Writers Island # 24.

Writer's Island  prompt this week envision and this image


She would look in the mirror
hoping to see
but the image would blur and distort
and they would find her looking 
and looking
and she couldn't remember 
when it happened
but there was a moment
when the mirror
reflected
and she saw 
someone 
holding her gaze
looking back
and she felt
a tear prick her eye
and as it fell
she smiled

Thursday 7 October 2010

Spinning - Magpie Tales # 35

Magpie Tales  hosts a weekly writing prompt, write a small vignette or poem using the photo below as your inspiration.


I stood
face skyward
arms outstretched
and bubbled with joy
as the wind joined the trees
and rained down confetti in
unending streams of amber and gold
and I swirled and twirled among them
  spinning round and around
swept up, lifted, jubilant
in child like wonder
belonging only
to this moment
and bursting
with sheer
delight.

Wednesday 6 October 2010

The Tea Dance - Three Word Wednesday

Three Word Wednesday where you write something using the three prompt words.
This week's words are  ... Hint, Lust and Sheen


 He looked in the mirror.
"You handsome devil you!"
He still had that twinkle in his eye, a hint of boyish charm that still shone through.
He coiffured his pepper grey hair into shape then applied just a touch of gel to give it a glorious silver sheen.
He checked the mirror once more, raised his eyebrows in the middle and gave one of his best Clark Gable smiles.
"Yep Ted, you're gonna create some serious lust in the ladies eyes down at the tea dance tonight!"

Monday 4 October 2010

Magic - Monday's Child # 15

Monday's Child prompt for children's poetry or verse


She would shrink to their size
and swim through the streams,
the magic was real
no longer her dreams.
Then up in the air
they would fly upon wings
and visit new lands
and gather sweet things.
They were all her dear friends
but the best thing of all
was that no matter how
they'd be there if she'd call.

Microfiction Monday # 51

This weeks picture prompt from Microfiction Monday at Stony River
The task: a tweetable 140 characters or fewer inspired by the picture below...
 
They took their evening flight around their kingdom 
and giggled to themselves as Pegasus poo'd on all the peasants.

Sunday 3 October 2010

Flashback - Sunday Scribblings # 235

Written for Sunday Scribblings prompt 235 - Flashback


I walk in the room
not knowing anyone
but I smile and I chat
I'm confident
now
and all is well
then through the crowd
I see a face
a face I knew
that knew me
how I was
back then
and I remember
and I stop smiling
and chatting
and all is not well
and once more
I'm a child
and I wish I was invisible
all over again.

Nasty Tree Hitter! ... I Saw Sunday - Week 3

A random assortment of things seen this week for  I Saw Sunday

here are mine ...


A dear little beetle still alive in a spiders web which I just had to rescue ... sorry Mr.Spider.

A young couple, I'd say about thirteen sitting together arms wrapped around one another in complete silence staring at the lake in the park .... aaaw

A striking looking lady walking her doberman pincer who would have won hands down if they ever held a dog and owner look-alike contest.

A man with a fantastically spherical shaped head standing at a bus stop...

and

Another, very well dressed, man who I saw run at a tree and hit it with his closed umbrella? ... Nasty tree hitter.

Saturday 2 October 2010

The Pumpkins - Saturday Centus # 22

Week 22 of Saturday Centus this weeks prompt is to use up to 100 words using the picture as a prompt.


It was an alien invasion. She just knew there were creatures in them waiting to take over our bodies and eat our brains.
She could see little orange legs appear ready to chase her.
She'd have to tell mum and dad, they had to get away while they still could. She ran from the field, not stopping until she was home.
Bursting into the kitchen, her eyes wild, she shouted.

"Run for your lives, the pumpkins are coming!"

Her dad looked at her mum.

"Kate, I think we need to have a chat about Halloween this year."

Soar - Writers Island # 23

Writer's Island - the prompt this week is
this glorious collage by Rob Kistner entitled: SOAR.


I'm elated, alive
my mind bursting 
with a thousand reasons to sing
to dance 
and scream to the heavens
of the joy I feel 
in the colour
the movement
the wonder
of life
and in knowing 
that in the centre of all this 
I am giddy with possibilities
soaring and alive.

Friday 1 October 2010

Too Small

There's seems to be something fishy going on with my wardrobe.
Lately when I'm trying to put clothes on that have always fitted me perfectly before, they seem to be coming up too small.

Now, there are two things that could be happening here.

1.  Someone is exchanging each and every one of my clothes with an exact replica in a whole size smaller.
or
2.  I've put on weight.

Well I've thought long and hard about it, and I've come to the conclusion that, as I refuse at this point to entertain the idea that it could possibly be number two ...

I'm obviously the unfortunate victim of a very elaborate practical joke!