Halloween Dance Memories

Beautiful fall days
Reminiscent of the dance decades ago
Promises made but then betrayed
Confidant we’d be together forever
Until, l I caught them kissing
On our special Halloween night
He suspected nothing when I’d invited him over
He still resides alone, in my basement

Written for Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge. Image credit: Artur Tumasjan on Unsplash.

Also written for d’Verse’s Quadrille challenge . The challenge was to write a poem of 44 words (excluding the title), and it can take any form. This week’s challenge was to use the word “fall” in a Quadrille.

Tranquil Thursday #1

Source image by Hugo Kerr on Unsplash

Maggie has begun a new Thursday challenge she has named Tranquil Thursday. It is taking the place of our Throwback Thursday. I am grateful for the blog challenge we started and hopefully we will return to some sort of challenge in the future.

Maggie’s first topic is: “What is written in your book and what remains unwritten?”

My blog is full of what was written in my book. Today I am choosing to write about what is not yet written. Here is a glimpse of what I hope for my future. So it is written, so it shall be.

I completed all my chemotherapy treatments. Then I happily received the best news of all. I was cancer free. After all the trials and tribulations in my house were remedied, I began the process of prepping for the sale of my home. I packed up the belongings I was sure I wanted to move. I donated things that didn’t measure up to the criteria I had set. Most of the home furnishings were donated. It was time for a new beginning.

My house sold quickly with no contingencies. It didn’t take me too long to find a new place I could afford. It is a smaller one-story house a few miles from the beach. The beach is dog friendly, so it was necessary to have a trainer work with Annie. Previously, she didn’t do well with other dogs. Happily, she loves the ocean almost as much as I do.

The house is decorated with all the things that bring me joy. My art collection fills the walls. My scrapbooks have a place of honor in my library/craft room. My book collection has been reduced, but I won’t lie, it is growing again. Family pictures abound on every shelf of the floor to ceiling bookcase. My sewing machine is set up all the time, ready to help me make a new quilt.

There is no wall to wall carpeting in my house. Area rugs work better in this environment. My new kitchen is the perfect place to invite loved ones to enjoy a meal. New memories are made here as we share dishes from my past. My small living room is perfect for watching TV, listening to music, and playing board games with the grandkids. Visiting Nana at the beach doesn’t require much convincing.

It is quiet here in this retirement community. I have a quick drive to the beach. Multiple times a week, Annie and I walk along the shore early in the morning. My spouse joins us on the weekend and on his breaks from school. I am at peace here. Watching the ebb and flow of the tide allows me to appreciate the life I have been given. As I breathe in the ocean air, my spirit is filled with peace. I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

Fibbing Friday ~ Jan 20

Di is our hostess for Fibbing Friday. Our task is to answer her questions with blatant lies. There is to be no truth in our answers.

1. What is boisterous? a young man who stirs things up
2. What is a womaniser? a woman who sizes up other women in a garment shop
3. What is a faux pas? a pet with an artificial foot
4. Define plumber. a person who gets all the best jobs
5. What is a sous chef? the chef who got hurt on the job and won a huge payoff
6. What is antisocial? the wife of unclesocial
7. Why did they call the wind Maria? because the name Windy was already taken
8. Where would you find a kettle drum? in maw and paw’s kitchen
9. What is a kango drill? the tool dentists use on kangaroos
10. What makes bread rise? reveille played on spoons

JusJoJan ~ My Fairy Tale

 

It’s the fourteenth day of Just Jot It January and Stream of Consciousness.

Your prompt for #JusJoJan the 14th and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “once upon a time.” Start your post with “Once upon a time,” then write whatever comes to you, whether it be fact or fiction. Have fun!

I had an idea for my stream before reading some other bloggers. I liked the idea of going with a fairy tale.

Once upon a time, there was a woman named Lauren. She had been experiencing some pain and decided to go to her doctor for help. Her doctor quickly diagnosed her problem and started her on a homeopathic regime to eliminate her issues. Her pain issues were resolved with acupuncture, massage therapy, and herbs. Her life was better than it had been in a long time. She was so overjoyed with the reduction of pain, she decided to venture out into the world more.

Lauren went to an indoor sky diving experience which she had always wanted to do. Then she went hang gliding off the nearby mountains. She took her grandkids on a hot air balloon ride. They ended up having a picnic in the air. Her grandkids hadn’t been to Hawaii with her, so they took a vacation to the Big Island.

Lauren then bought a house right on the beach. Once she had it decorated to her taste, she invited everyone in her tribe to come for a party. She had plane tickets delivered to each and every one of them. There were nonalcoholic beverages and tasty hors d’oeuvres galore. It was a glorious celebration of health and happiness. The music selection was varied. The volume was loud enough to be enjoyed, but not too loud to inhibit conversations. A photographer was on the scene. Pictures were sent to each partygoer so the memories could be recalled at will.

…and back to reality.

As I was writing this blog, I gently rubbed a sore spot on my head. A huge mass of hair came out in my hand. I cannot help but wonder if I will have anything left by my second infusion on Wednesday. It is still not bothering me. I think total baldness might be a different story.

Writing Prompts – I NEED That Donut

 

I’d woken up pretty early this morning. My internal alarm told me to allot more time for self-care before the battery of critics arrived. They were an obstinate faction of the art world who believed only in themselves. I stared at the concierge’s screen attempting to find a worthwhile donut to dunk into my coffee. I was told I would be charged for an upgrade to get what I wanted. My sanity mattered more than the extra cost.

• Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt #283
• Word of the day challenge
• Your Daily Word Prompt
• Fandango’s FOWC
• Rag Tag Community