Only seven of us today, various reasons given from catching colds, other engagements and too busy thinking about more pressing things. But we all enjoyed the smaller gathering and changed the format to include discussions about the story after it was read. We all thought this worth doing as we were not too critical of each other.
Sue wrote a long story about three generations that some of those present knew was based on her own family. Joan Read's story involved the telling of a charity abseiling and a very frightened participant. Brian told of a ghostly visitor. Ann told the story of a nurse who got blown up. Joan recounted the colourful goings on at Strictly Come Dancing. Pat continued with Mrs Cross reading the papers. My story was about a car crash and the benefits. Rosemary won with five votes out of seven with :
SHE BLINKED: She blinked, but no amount of blinking could stop the tears from coursing down her cheeks. As she tried unsuccessfully to brush the tears away and hide her distress, Jim came up behind her, put his arm around her shoulders and said "Don't take on so lass. I'll be back, never fear. And when I DO come back I'll have an important question to ask of you."
She turned to him and her tears flowed the harder, as he hugged her and she hid her face against his chest. After a while her tears subsided a little, and as she looked up at him Jim said "Mebbe I should ask you the question right now, eh lass?" and after a pause he continued "When its all over and I come home, will you marry me?" She had smiled then through her tears and nodded vigorously, too choked-up to speak.
And so it had been that when Jim eventually came home from the War in 1946 they had got married in the little village chapel, surrounded by all their family and friends. She knew and thoroughly appreciated how fortunate she was, for so many had NOT come back from the War as her Jim had done; even though for several years afterwards he had suffered terrible nightmares caused by the horrors he had witnessed out there on the battle field.
She was so thankful that Jim had asked her that important question that day in her mother's scullery BEFORE he went to War - the question she had been longing to hear. For the thought of his homecoming, their wedding, and their future life together had kept her going throughout the terrible years of separation during the War.
But how many many times they had chuckled together over the 60+ years since, remembering exactly how Jim's impromptu proposal had actually come about. After all, it was really only the ONION she'd been peeling that had made her blink and cry so much that day! So as Jim said with a twinkle in his eye every time she'd blinked and cried peeling onions over the years since then "To think it was a humble ONION that trapped me into proposing to you lass!" And each time he said this she replied "THANK GOODNESS FOR ONIONS!" and they would laugh together over their own precious private joke!
24 January 2011 next meeting "and floated"
Monday, 22 November 2010
Monday, 25 October 2010
25th October
Joan Read wrote about life on a farm struggling to make ends meet after father left it in debt. Happy ending with trip to USA. Sally had a haunting tale of her holiday in Scotland in a spooky house with a Marsh Goblin with a penchant for trying to get in ladies beds. John's amusing account of an accident caused by an irritated colleague whacking somebody over the head while he was driving.Ann turned excuses for not writing a story into a story. Sue on a holiday in a rural cottage saw an Indian with a bow and arrow hunting a deer that wasn't there.
Sheila wrote of a couples difficulties financially until they are employed by the local squire. Rosemary recounted her visit to the Holocaust memorial in Germany.
Brian all about Uncle Nobby and a trip to the pub. Joan took us on a walk around the local roads and lanes of Copythorne. I wrote of a threat that may one day happen, a giant solar flare.
Pat the winner this week all about Mrs Cross.
It Looked Like…
Mrs. Cross was cross. As the years passed she had grown into her name, so to speak. At the bus stop she stamped up and down to keep her feet warm. Why was the bus late on cold days? No point in complaining to the driver, its never their fault is it!
She alighted in the center of Totton noting the paper blowing alongside the empty tins and plastic bottles. What’s wrong with people, are they blind she thought crossly. She noted the locals, heads down against the wind, all in their own little worlds.
Outside of Asda the small trolleys were neatly lined up, she put in her coin, it stuck, and giving it a quick shake twisted her wrist. We wouldn’t have to do this if people didn’t steal the baskets she thought.
It wasn’t like this when she was young. You could leave bicycles, babies in prams, newspapers with honesty boxes…what has happened!
As she walked in the noise hit her sensitive eardrums. Loud mothers with equally loud children, don’t they realize that if they spoke softly to their children they would speak softy in return? Strolling along the news isle she noted the headlines, even they screamed at you. ”Blue Roon”shouted one ,isn’t £250.000 a week enough for kicking a ball around for 90 minutes, it won’t make you happy she thought.” EU lottery ticket unclaimed” screamed another. I pity the poor family that will be ruined by the £113 million. Whilst thinking about the EU she couldn’t understand why we are giving them £38.4 billion of our money and £12.6 billion to mostly corrupt foreign dictatorships! Foreign Aid indeed! Where will it all end..it looked like a never ending boom, gloom doom future for us all.
Mrs. Cross strolled on past the lady’s magazines with perfectly airbrushed faces on the covers. Who are they kidding…the gullable young she supposed. Can’t they see!
Shopping done she returned home to peace and quiet. As the night drew in her ears pricked up, the boom, boom of fireworks in the distance as another multi layered cruise ship sailed away. She could imagine the conversation…”This is our first cruise,” a self conscious couple in brand new outfits said” its for our anniversary”. The couple opposite, looking smug replied “ oh really, this is our 17th.”
Mrs Cross didn’t fancy cruising anyway, and settled down to watch Strictly Come Dancing. Tonight, Ann Widdicombe was going to fly, and so she did.
Next month 22 November "she blinked"
Sheila wrote of a couples difficulties financially until they are employed by the local squire. Rosemary recounted her visit to the Holocaust memorial in Germany.
Brian all about Uncle Nobby and a trip to the pub. Joan took us on a walk around the local roads and lanes of Copythorne. I wrote of a threat that may one day happen, a giant solar flare.
Pat the winner this week all about Mrs Cross.
It Looked Like…
Mrs. Cross was cross. As the years passed she had grown into her name, so to speak. At the bus stop she stamped up and down to keep her feet warm. Why was the bus late on cold days? No point in complaining to the driver, its never their fault is it!
She alighted in the center of Totton noting the paper blowing alongside the empty tins and plastic bottles. What’s wrong with people, are they blind she thought crossly. She noted the locals, heads down against the wind, all in their own little worlds.
Outside of Asda the small trolleys were neatly lined up, she put in her coin, it stuck, and giving it a quick shake twisted her wrist. We wouldn’t have to do this if people didn’t steal the baskets she thought.
It wasn’t like this when she was young. You could leave bicycles, babies in prams, newspapers with honesty boxes…what has happened!
As she walked in the noise hit her sensitive eardrums. Loud mothers with equally loud children, don’t they realize that if they spoke softly to their children they would speak softy in return? Strolling along the news isle she noted the headlines, even they screamed at you. ”Blue Roon”shouted one ,isn’t £250.000 a week enough for kicking a ball around for 90 minutes, it won’t make you happy she thought.” EU lottery ticket unclaimed” screamed another. I pity the poor family that will be ruined by the £113 million. Whilst thinking about the EU she couldn’t understand why we are giving them £38.4 billion of our money and £12.6 billion to mostly corrupt foreign dictatorships! Foreign Aid indeed! Where will it all end..it looked like a never ending boom, gloom doom future for us all.
Mrs. Cross strolled on past the lady’s magazines with perfectly airbrushed faces on the covers. Who are they kidding…the gullable young she supposed. Can’t they see!
Shopping done she returned home to peace and quiet. As the night drew in her ears pricked up, the boom, boom of fireworks in the distance as another multi layered cruise ship sailed away. She could imagine the conversation…”This is our first cruise,” a self conscious couple in brand new outfits said” its for our anniversary”. The couple opposite, looking smug replied “ oh really, this is our 17th.”
Mrs Cross didn’t fancy cruising anyway, and settled down to watch Strictly Come Dancing. Tonight, Ann Widdicombe was going to fly, and so she did.
Next month 22 November "she blinked"
Monday, 27 September 2010
September Meeting
We met at John's today just eight of us. Sheila's story was about school village life and a young lad inheriting a cottage later on in life. John played out a James Bond scenario shooting villains which turned out to be playing a video game. I wrote about how I thought up my story. Joan wrote of an old man remembering his past life and then his children and grandchildren arrived. Pat gave the illusion of investing in property but it was just a game. Rosemary told of a £10 pom returning to her roots visiting the places she played as a child.
Brian told us of an unfortunate Miller who was found to be cheating his customers and paid a high price for his crime losing his entire property.
Ann got most votes for her story
Next month "It looked like"
The Entire Property
Joyce and her husband Reg lived about fifteen miles from Bristol on the edge of a small village nestling in the folds of the Mendip Hills. They were farmers; at least Reg was, having been brought up on the farm he then inherited from his parents. Joyce had been a teacher, but when she married, she gave up her job and concentrated on becoming a good farmer's wife. As the war progressed and more and more children were being evacuated to the country, Joyce put the suggestion to Reg that maybe they could take in some. He had no objections, so Joyce decided to present him with her full plan. They lived in a large rambling house and as she was a trained teacher maybe they could have about twenty children and she could teach them with the help of their daughter who was about to leave school herself. They could employ a couple of the young women from the village to help with the children and in the house. Initially Reg was doubtful, but Joyce was very persuasive and eventually everything was set and they were ready to greet their new guests. The countryside proved to be quite a new experience for most of the evacuees although they quickly settled into their new routine. School work was completed as hastily as possible so they could get outside and enjoy exploring and helping with any small tasks they could on the farm. Towards the end of November, Bristol experienced its first Blitz. It started at six in the evening and for six hours the city was bombarded as wave after wave of the bombers droned overhead. The sky over Bristol was aglow with the crimson and orange from the burning buildings. Eventually it eased off and as the planes returned some discharged the remains of their cargo before completing their journey. The farmhouse received a direct hit and as the emergency crews arrived they could see the entire property was smouldering.
Fast-forward seventy years. The Walking group of the USA had decided to take a short break in the Mendips. They were staying in a small hotel near Cheddar. The weather had been very good as it always was on these trips and again they were joking that the organiser must have a direct line to the top man. At breakfast they were discussing their trip for that day and chatting to their host. When they mentioned their proposed route, he said they must look out for the chapel. They couldn't miss it and should have a look around it. Having looked at the route map, they were rather mystified as there didn't appear to be any chapel or church marked, however, they set off and after a very pleasant walk over quite undulating countryside noticed what appeared to be the outline of a chapel across the valley, just off the track they were on. It was decided to veer off and take a look. What they saw was quite extraordinary. It was the ruins of quite a large house and around the boundary walls the trees had grown forming new walls. The branches met overhead to form a vaulted roof and at one end on the corner there was one very tall tree that towered above the rest like a spire. On one shorter side there was an opening. They all trooped inside to find the floor covered in moss and the light shining through the branches of the trees shed a tracery onto the moss like stained glass windows. Someone had fashioned a wooden cross and placed it at the end on a large flat stone. Beside it there was a small posy of fresh flowers. There was also a wooden plaque underneath on which was written," Nature and the Elements have designed and constructed this chapel on the site where twenty five people lost their lives on 24th November 1940. Twenty were young children from the London area and the remaining five from our community. This is dedicated to them all."
Brian told us of an unfortunate Miller who was found to be cheating his customers and paid a high price for his crime losing his entire property.
Ann got most votes for her story
Next month "It looked like"
The Entire Property
Joyce and her husband Reg lived about fifteen miles from Bristol on the edge of a small village nestling in the folds of the Mendip Hills. They were farmers; at least Reg was, having been brought up on the farm he then inherited from his parents. Joyce had been a teacher, but when she married, she gave up her job and concentrated on becoming a good farmer's wife. As the war progressed and more and more children were being evacuated to the country, Joyce put the suggestion to Reg that maybe they could take in some. He had no objections, so Joyce decided to present him with her full plan. They lived in a large rambling house and as she was a trained teacher maybe they could have about twenty children and she could teach them with the help of their daughter who was about to leave school herself. They could employ a couple of the young women from the village to help with the children and in the house. Initially Reg was doubtful, but Joyce was very persuasive and eventually everything was set and they were ready to greet their new guests. The countryside proved to be quite a new experience for most of the evacuees although they quickly settled into their new routine. School work was completed as hastily as possible so they could get outside and enjoy exploring and helping with any small tasks they could on the farm. Towards the end of November, Bristol experienced its first Blitz. It started at six in the evening and for six hours the city was bombarded as wave after wave of the bombers droned overhead. The sky over Bristol was aglow with the crimson and orange from the burning buildings. Eventually it eased off and as the planes returned some discharged the remains of their cargo before completing their journey. The farmhouse received a direct hit and as the emergency crews arrived they could see the entire property was smouldering.
Fast-forward seventy years. The Walking group of the USA had decided to take a short break in the Mendips. They were staying in a small hotel near Cheddar. The weather had been very good as it always was on these trips and again they were joking that the organiser must have a direct line to the top man. At breakfast they were discussing their trip for that day and chatting to their host. When they mentioned their proposed route, he said they must look out for the chapel. They couldn't miss it and should have a look around it. Having looked at the route map, they were rather mystified as there didn't appear to be any chapel or church marked, however, they set off and after a very pleasant walk over quite undulating countryside noticed what appeared to be the outline of a chapel across the valley, just off the track they were on. It was decided to veer off and take a look. What they saw was quite extraordinary. It was the ruins of quite a large house and around the boundary walls the trees had grown forming new walls. The branches met overhead to form a vaulted roof and at one end on the corner there was one very tall tree that towered above the rest like a spire. On one shorter side there was an opening. They all trooped inside to find the floor covered in moss and the light shining through the branches of the trees shed a tracery onto the moss like stained glass windows. Someone had fashioned a wooden cross and placed it at the end on a large flat stone. Beside it there was a small posy of fresh flowers. There was also a wooden plaque underneath on which was written," Nature and the Elements have designed and constructed this chapel on the site where twenty five people lost their lives on 24th November 1940. Twenty were young children from the London area and the remaining five from our community. This is dedicated to them all."
Monday, 23 August 2010
23 August
Met at Pat & Brian's to hear a varied selection of interesting stories. Joan E told of a builder who lost his footing and found his wife. Rosemary told of a very clever cat who got left behind. Anne related a story of a clever dog and a boy who fell out of a tree. Sally continued the story of two boys trapped in a cave. John told us of a childhood during in the war and the teacher Miss Crook. Sheila said how she had to baby-sit a dog for a friend and returned to find her apples were rotten. Joan R learning to trust a second dog.
Mine was about a builder who lost his home to a greedy wife.
Pat was apologetic for writing such a brief story promptly got most votes.
A ROTTEN SITUATION.
I was reading in the Sunday paper that the average women would spend £16,000 on shoes in her lifetime! £16,000! How much is that per year? Divide £16,000 by 70- no, you can’t count your first 15 years can you? Divide by 60, that’s £266 a year. Lets see- this year I have purchased one pair of dressy sandals to go to a wedding at £25. One pair of lace-ups for daytime at £55, one pair of walking shoes, on sale at half price at £25. That’s £105! I don’t need any winter shoes this year as I purchased 2 pair last year for under £100. The way I look at it is, I still have approximately £332 left to spend by December.
Over my lifetime, if I averaged £100 per year, I should have saved approx £10,000. Where’s it gone? Have I been depriving myself? Do slippers count I wonder.
Then I spotted another shoe article, about a singer spending £2,000 on a pair of Jimmy Choos with heels like stalks. Then I read another shoe story about the Prime Minister’s wife purchasing a pair on E-Bay--imagine. How embarrassing to get caught buying worn shoes! What a rotten situation. Then there’s Theresa May, Home Secretary, with her exotic wellies and leopard pumps. She shops at Russell & Bromley I understand. I imagine she spends more than “Miss Average”
I find my self-thinking about shoes all the time, asking friends and family about their purchases. I’m becoming a foot fanatic, keep looking at feet, wondering how much they paid for their shoes, finding myself working any conversation around to, you guessed it, |SHOES!
There are so many styles_ sky-high heels, walking on tippy toes! What about crocs? - So ugly. I watched them all go by, so engrossed I forget the time and almost missed my lunch date.
I must stop this- get a grip for Heaven’s sake! Get back to normal.
OH NO, look across the road. A BIG shoe sale. Must run, I still have £332 to spend before December.
Next month "entire property" 27th September.
Mine was about a builder who lost his home to a greedy wife.
Pat was apologetic for writing such a brief story promptly got most votes.
A ROTTEN SITUATION.
I was reading in the Sunday paper that the average women would spend £16,000 on shoes in her lifetime! £16,000! How much is that per year? Divide £16,000 by 70- no, you can’t count your first 15 years can you? Divide by 60, that’s £266 a year. Lets see- this year I have purchased one pair of dressy sandals to go to a wedding at £25. One pair of lace-ups for daytime at £55, one pair of walking shoes, on sale at half price at £25. That’s £105! I don’t need any winter shoes this year as I purchased 2 pair last year for under £100. The way I look at it is, I still have approximately £332 left to spend by December.
Over my lifetime, if I averaged £100 per year, I should have saved approx £10,000. Where’s it gone? Have I been depriving myself? Do slippers count I wonder.
Then I spotted another shoe article, about a singer spending £2,000 on a pair of Jimmy Choos with heels like stalks. Then I read another shoe story about the Prime Minister’s wife purchasing a pair on E-Bay--imagine. How embarrassing to get caught buying worn shoes! What a rotten situation. Then there’s Theresa May, Home Secretary, with her exotic wellies and leopard pumps. She shops at Russell & Bromley I understand. I imagine she spends more than “Miss Average”
I find my self-thinking about shoes all the time, asking friends and family about their purchases. I’m becoming a foot fanatic, keep looking at feet, wondering how much they paid for their shoes, finding myself working any conversation around to, you guessed it, |SHOES!
There are so many styles_ sky-high heels, walking on tippy toes! What about crocs? - So ugly. I watched them all go by, so engrossed I forget the time and almost missed my lunch date.
I must stop this- get a grip for Heaven’s sake! Get back to normal.
OH NO, look across the road. A BIG shoe sale. Must run, I still have £332 to spend before December.
Next month "entire property" 27th September.
Monday, 26 July 2010
26th July
Only seven for today's meeting each with a story with a different slant from each other only Brian's maurading tribesmen seemed likely to be the same barbarians haunting Sue's dream story.
John wrote of a poor girl who was jilted after taking a year's Sabbath to Australia. Ann told of a woman finding a friend who was in actual fact her daughter. My story told of a succes story of an ambitious woman making her way to the top. Joan's story of widowhood and the passing seasons.
Joan Read once again got the most votes.
When Day Broke
Martha King was wide awake in bed when day broke she seemed to have been awake for hours she laid in bed and listened to the dawn chorus and tried to get back to sleep but her head was reminding her of all the things she should have done and all the things she needed to do after while she knew that she would not sleep so she got up opened the curtains and could not believe what she was seeing it was raining after weeks of sun, rain, oh, she knew that everyone needed the rain but could it not have waited for one day just one more day.
She was due to host the writing group and had been planning to have it in the garden her two sons and there families had been to stay Richard his wife and two girls had gone home three days ago but James his wife and two boys did not go until yesterday evening now she said to herself" I truly love my grandsons Andy and Tony but to be honest they really are little horrors" the house was in a terrible mess she was completely exhausted by the time they left so she had gone straight to bed.
Martha went down stairs and into the lounge it looked like a war zone the dining room was no better but first things, first, breakfast. In the kitchen she went to the fridge to get the milk only to find a note from, Tom, her husband, who had gone fishing, the note read: Could not find a spare bottle so having taken milk, left enough for your tea in a cup: Great she thought the house is a mess and now no milk.
After she had finished her tea and toast she decided to just chuck everything in the cupboards and sort it out later. She had to get the cleaner out though because there were biscuits crumbs everywhere. Back into the kitchen to get out the cups and saucers get the coffee pot ready and the kettle filled. Now all she had to do was put out the biscuits she went to get them from the larder another note: Hope you don't mind taken tin of biscuits for the lads: She counted to ten because she did not want to scream he had taken the special biscuits she had made, for his friends, and had left her with ginger and malted milk. Well nothing for it a quick trip to the shop, 9. 1 0 into the car to the supermarket and just for the purpose huge queue. On the way home caught every set of traffic lights possible but got indoors at 9.40 so not to bad. Oh lord she thought bathroom she had forgotten to clean it she rushed in dirty washing in the bath, from showers the boys had before they left so that there were in there pyjamas ready for bed when they got home and of course no toilet paper (they seemed to use a roll a day) please let me have a spare one she said to herself she half expected to see another note but the toilet roll was there, where, it was supposed to be.
She looked at the clock ten to ten strange she thought no one here yet five to ten the phone rings it was Alice her friend "Hi Martha you haven't forgotten that the writing group is at Jim and Mary's to-day because they are away next month have you" Martha replied "Of course not I am just running a little late I'll be there in the next 5 minutes bye" She put down the phone and then she really did scream.
Next month A Rotten Situation 23 August.
John wrote of a poor girl who was jilted after taking a year's Sabbath to Australia. Ann told of a woman finding a friend who was in actual fact her daughter. My story told of a succes story of an ambitious woman making her way to the top. Joan's story of widowhood and the passing seasons.
Joan Read once again got the most votes.
When Day Broke
Martha King was wide awake in bed when day broke she seemed to have been awake for hours she laid in bed and listened to the dawn chorus and tried to get back to sleep but her head was reminding her of all the things she should have done and all the things she needed to do after while she knew that she would not sleep so she got up opened the curtains and could not believe what she was seeing it was raining after weeks of sun, rain, oh, she knew that everyone needed the rain but could it not have waited for one day just one more day.
She was due to host the writing group and had been planning to have it in the garden her two sons and there families had been to stay Richard his wife and two girls had gone home three days ago but James his wife and two boys did not go until yesterday evening now she said to herself" I truly love my grandsons Andy and Tony but to be honest they really are little horrors" the house was in a terrible mess she was completely exhausted by the time they left so she had gone straight to bed.
Martha went down stairs and into the lounge it looked like a war zone the dining room was no better but first things, first, breakfast. In the kitchen she went to the fridge to get the milk only to find a note from, Tom, her husband, who had gone fishing, the note read: Could not find a spare bottle so having taken milk, left enough for your tea in a cup: Great she thought the house is a mess and now no milk.
After she had finished her tea and toast she decided to just chuck everything in the cupboards and sort it out later. She had to get the cleaner out though because there were biscuits crumbs everywhere. Back into the kitchen to get out the cups and saucers get the coffee pot ready and the kettle filled. Now all she had to do was put out the biscuits she went to get them from the larder another note: Hope you don't mind taken tin of biscuits for the lads: She counted to ten because she did not want to scream he had taken the special biscuits she had made, for his friends, and had left her with ginger and malted milk. Well nothing for it a quick trip to the shop, 9. 1 0 into the car to the supermarket and just for the purpose huge queue. On the way home caught every set of traffic lights possible but got indoors at 9.40 so not to bad. Oh lord she thought bathroom she had forgotten to clean it she rushed in dirty washing in the bath, from showers the boys had before they left so that there were in there pyjamas ready for bed when they got home and of course no toilet paper (they seemed to use a roll a day) please let me have a spare one she said to herself she half expected to see another note but the toilet roll was there, where, it was supposed to be.
She looked at the clock ten to ten strange she thought no one here yet five to ten the phone rings it was Alice her friend "Hi Martha you haven't forgotten that the writing group is at Jim and Mary's to-day because they are away next month have you" Martha replied "Of course not I am just running a little late I'll be there in the next 5 minutes bye" She put down the phone and then she really did scream.
Next month A Rotten Situation 23 August.
Monday, 28 June 2010
June' s stories
Very hot morning in Pat & Brian's garden sheltering in the shade of the porch we listened to many different stories on the word Ramshackle.
Pat's, Jamie's journey from the States and bonding with their Uncle.
Sally, Gypsy Black Jack's caravan and Ben playing near the quarry.
Ann, Brecon Beacons in the storm and a refuge manned by ghosts.
Sue a widow who makes a new life for herself by buying a boat
Sheila, a holiday cottage that despite appearances was spotless.
Joan, a boys holiday with grandparents and wood carving.
John,A husband has a fling then becomes a detective.
Brian, A hedge layer and a good lunch.
My effort was about a holiday in Wales.
"When the day broke" is next month's
Joan Read was the winner
Ramshackle
Ramshackle what kind of word is that 10 year old Danny Green said to himself, his mother had just called his bedroom this, that's two words put together if he remembered right ram meant to barge into something and shackle was something that slave traders used in the olden days well at least that's what they said on the history channel. So how could his bedroom be this, he hadn't as far as he could remember rammed anything and he had no chains whatsoever so what did his mother mean.
Ok his bedroom was a tip, but then he hated cleaning, if he did he could never find anything, but as his grandparents were visiting this weekend, he supposed he better make an effort. He started by hanging up his coats folding his jumpers and putting away his trainers but all the while he was thinking about that word he got the cleaner from the cupboard and started to hoover as he knocked into the wardrobe he thought this could be the ram part because he had done that before. When he had finished he decided to look through his drawers to see if he could find anything like shackles all he found was a pair of handcuffs that were part of a game he had been given when he was 8 years old perhaps this is what his mother meant for the second part of the word but why did she put the two together he just didn't understand.
At last he heard the door open down stairs, it was his father home for lunch, he ran down to meet him, but before he could say anything his mother said lunch is on the table and woe betide them if they were late. Whilst they were eating he was about to talk to his father when the phone rang it was an emergency call from the fire station his dad was a voluntary fireman so he had to go straight away luckily they lived quite close. Danny was very proud of him, so much so, that he was going to be a fireman when he was old enough. His father gave them both a quick kiss and rushed out the door so Danny was still left wondering about ramshackle.
He began to ask his mother questions whilst she was washing up "was the garden a ramshackle" "certainly not" was her reply "what about the utility room" he said "for goodness sake Danny the only ramshackle place in this house is your bedroom". Danny went back to his room and decided that he must be a terrible boy if it was only his room that was affected by this. He sat on his bed and was still there when his mother came up to ask him if he wanted a drink she could see that something was wrong "what's up Danny why are you not on your play station" he told his mother all about it and was surprised when she laughed out loud she said "you silly boy if you had looked it up you would have discovered that ramshackle is a very old word but all it means is that your bedroom was a mess but looking at it now its um shall we say pristine" and she went back down stairs still laughing. Danny thought pristine oh no not again, where did I put that dictionary?
Pat's, Jamie's journey from the States and bonding with their Uncle.
Sally, Gypsy Black Jack's caravan and Ben playing near the quarry.
Ann, Brecon Beacons in the storm and a refuge manned by ghosts.
Sue a widow who makes a new life for herself by buying a boat
Sheila, a holiday cottage that despite appearances was spotless.
Joan, a boys holiday with grandparents and wood carving.
John,A husband has a fling then becomes a detective.
Brian, A hedge layer and a good lunch.
My effort was about a holiday in Wales.
"When the day broke" is next month's
Joan Read was the winner
Ramshackle
Ramshackle what kind of word is that 10 year old Danny Green said to himself, his mother had just called his bedroom this, that's two words put together if he remembered right ram meant to barge into something and shackle was something that slave traders used in the olden days well at least that's what they said on the history channel. So how could his bedroom be this, he hadn't as far as he could remember rammed anything and he had no chains whatsoever so what did his mother mean.
Ok his bedroom was a tip, but then he hated cleaning, if he did he could never find anything, but as his grandparents were visiting this weekend, he supposed he better make an effort. He started by hanging up his coats folding his jumpers and putting away his trainers but all the while he was thinking about that word he got the cleaner from the cupboard and started to hoover as he knocked into the wardrobe he thought this could be the ram part because he had done that before. When he had finished he decided to look through his drawers to see if he could find anything like shackles all he found was a pair of handcuffs that were part of a game he had been given when he was 8 years old perhaps this is what his mother meant for the second part of the word but why did she put the two together he just didn't understand.
At last he heard the door open down stairs, it was his father home for lunch, he ran down to meet him, but before he could say anything his mother said lunch is on the table and woe betide them if they were late. Whilst they were eating he was about to talk to his father when the phone rang it was an emergency call from the fire station his dad was a voluntary fireman so he had to go straight away luckily they lived quite close. Danny was very proud of him, so much so, that he was going to be a fireman when he was old enough. His father gave them both a quick kiss and rushed out the door so Danny was still left wondering about ramshackle.
He began to ask his mother questions whilst she was washing up "was the garden a ramshackle" "certainly not" was her reply "what about the utility room" he said "for goodness sake Danny the only ramshackle place in this house is your bedroom". Danny went back to his room and decided that he must be a terrible boy if it was only his room that was affected by this. He sat on his bed and was still there when his mother came up to ask him if he wanted a drink she could see that something was wrong "what's up Danny why are you not on your play station" he told his mother all about it and was surprised when she laughed out loud she said "you silly boy if you had looked it up you would have discovered that ramshackle is a very old word but all it means is that your bedroom was a mess but looking at it now its um shall we say pristine" and she went back down stairs still laughing. Danny thought pristine oh no not again, where did I put that dictionary?
Monday, 24 May 2010
May story
Really hot day where we sat under the shade of various umbrellas in Jack and Joan's garden. Only eight of us today.
Joan E gave an account of winter on a farm. I wrote a story about a henpecked husband agreeing to take a puppy. Rosmarie told us about forbidden pleasures. Sally gave a graphic account of a good time girl being strangled. Ann's story involved midnight feasts and ginger beer. Sheila told a story about her her precocious grandson. John told of young men getting together. Joan Read got the most votes.
Concealed the Facts
Christine McGuire opened and read the e-mail from her cousin Maeve and sat down with a shock she knew in that moment that her life was about to change again for the third time. The first was in 1956 in Ireland where she lived with her parents who where devout Catholics as she was coming home one night she was assaulted and as a result found herself pregnant even though it was not her fault her mother sent her to a clinic run by nuns. It was a very hard life and over the 9 months as she felt the baby move and grow she started to look forward to the birth, her little girl was born May 1st so she called her Maisy she was beautiful. One week after she was born Sister Mary came and told Christine that her parents had put the baby up for adoption and that she would be leaving to go to a family the following day. She was told that as she was only fifteen she had no choice Christine cried and begged them to let her keep her daughter but the next morning when she woke Maisy was gone. Her father came to get her the same day to take her home she never said a word to him but she knew what she was going to do. She waited for them to go to mass on Sunday and then she took £100 from her father's drawer and caught the ferry to England she had never seen or spoken to her parents since. When she arrived in England she had a small suitcase with some clothes and £75 she went to her cousin Maeve who was renting a small flat and she lived there with her for six years in that time she trained to become a nurse at St Ormond's hospital and this is where she met the man she married Jonathan Grant a visiting doctor from the United States. Her life changed for a second time when they married and moved to his home in Kentucky a small ranch, which she loved. They had both been working at the same hospital for 10 years and had made numerous friends but no family to call on as Jonathan said his parents had been killed in a car crash when he was twenty. They had been trying to start a family for a long time but without success and now she had to tell him about Masie she had always concealed the facts from him scared of what he might say but now she had no choice this was made plain in the e-mail. Her daughter now 16 needed a bone marrow transplant and her adopted parents had managed to obtain her birth certificate with Christines name on it and from that had contacted her parents and they in turn phoned Maeve, she thought to herself did she really want her life to change again she could just tell Jonathan she was going to visit Maeve for a holiday. She glanced at the clock saw that it was 5pm and at that moment Jonathan walked through the door having finished his shift slightly early as they were supposed to be going out. Before she lost her nerve she told him every thing from the time of the attack up until she met him. When she had finished he looked at her picked up his coat and left the house she heard the car start and he was gone. She did not know what to think or do so she just sat and waited she was still there when he came back at 9 o'clock. He crossed the room stood her up and kissed her she burst into tears and he said everything will be OK we will both go to Ireland and see this through and perhaps we will speak to your parents and get to know your daughter but he said there is one thing I have kept from you about my parents my mother is dead that's true but my father is in jail for her murder so you see my love you were not the only one with a secret. They looked at one another and knew that after this no matter what life threw at them they would always cope because of their love.
Next month "ramshackle"
Joan E gave an account of winter on a farm. I wrote a story about a henpecked husband agreeing to take a puppy. Rosmarie told us about forbidden pleasures. Sally gave a graphic account of a good time girl being strangled. Ann's story involved midnight feasts and ginger beer. Sheila told a story about her her precocious grandson. John told of young men getting together. Joan Read got the most votes.
Concealed the Facts
Christine McGuire opened and read the e-mail from her cousin Maeve and sat down with a shock she knew in that moment that her life was about to change again for the third time. The first was in 1956 in Ireland where she lived with her parents who where devout Catholics as she was coming home one night she was assaulted and as a result found herself pregnant even though it was not her fault her mother sent her to a clinic run by nuns. It was a very hard life and over the 9 months as she felt the baby move and grow she started to look forward to the birth, her little girl was born May 1st so she called her Maisy she was beautiful. One week after she was born Sister Mary came and told Christine that her parents had put the baby up for adoption and that she would be leaving to go to a family the following day. She was told that as she was only fifteen she had no choice Christine cried and begged them to let her keep her daughter but the next morning when she woke Maisy was gone. Her father came to get her the same day to take her home she never said a word to him but she knew what she was going to do. She waited for them to go to mass on Sunday and then she took £100 from her father's drawer and caught the ferry to England she had never seen or spoken to her parents since. When she arrived in England she had a small suitcase with some clothes and £75 she went to her cousin Maeve who was renting a small flat and she lived there with her for six years in that time she trained to become a nurse at St Ormond's hospital and this is where she met the man she married Jonathan Grant a visiting doctor from the United States. Her life changed for a second time when they married and moved to his home in Kentucky a small ranch, which she loved. They had both been working at the same hospital for 10 years and had made numerous friends but no family to call on as Jonathan said his parents had been killed in a car crash when he was twenty. They had been trying to start a family for a long time but without success and now she had to tell him about Masie she had always concealed the facts from him scared of what he might say but now she had no choice this was made plain in the e-mail. Her daughter now 16 needed a bone marrow transplant and her adopted parents had managed to obtain her birth certificate with Christines name on it and from that had contacted her parents and they in turn phoned Maeve, she thought to herself did she really want her life to change again she could just tell Jonathan she was going to visit Maeve for a holiday. She glanced at the clock saw that it was 5pm and at that moment Jonathan walked through the door having finished his shift slightly early as they were supposed to be going out. Before she lost her nerve she told him every thing from the time of the attack up until she met him. When she had finished he looked at her picked up his coat and left the house she heard the car start and he was gone. She did not know what to think or do so she just sat and waited she was still there when he came back at 9 o'clock. He crossed the room stood her up and kissed her she burst into tears and he said everything will be OK we will both go to Ireland and see this through and perhaps we will speak to your parents and get to know your daughter but he said there is one thing I have kept from you about my parents my mother is dead that's true but my father is in jail for her murder so you see my love you were not the only one with a secret. They looked at one another and knew that after this no matter what life threw at them they would always cope because of their love.
Next month "ramshackle"
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