It’s Wednesday-Friday and, though I thought for sure I wouldn’t play, here I am. Kinda hard to diss when Rochelle chooses my photo, eh? I am going to aplogise in advance for anyone whose story I do not get to. I’m getting away for a vacay and will do my best to get to you all before I leave. Gonna be weird to not participate next week but there is no way in hell I am bringing any technology with me (except my phone – for camera reasons, only!) That said, click on the frog below if you wish to read more stories…
This is a completely true story, zero fiction. Sorry, Cathy 😉
Click me!
Dinner and a Late Show
“Delicious! Glad you introduced me to this restaurant. We better move it as we have a good fifteen-minute walk ahead of us.”
“Yep, time to high-tail it over to Place-des-Arts to see “The Phantom”. Thanks for asking me to join you! Even though I saw it ages ago, I’m glad to see it again.”
***
“Jeez… we’re fifteen minutes early and there is no one in the lobby? That doesn’t make sense…”
Cathy looked at the tickets, “Shoot! Omigosh! It started at 7:30, not 8:00. We are late not early!”
Good Thursday, my peeps. I skipped last week because sometimes one does not feel like forcing the muse. However, this week, she is in fine form. I was sure I had a photo that was more in tune with Crispina‘s lovely one but none really worked for me. So, as I searched, I found something and a story was born. Thanks, my friend, for hosting this fun party every week!
What Do You See?
Gosh, that looks forbidding, doesn’t it?
It does. Want to go inside and see what lurks behind?
Dunno. It feels creepy.
You’ll miss something special if you don’t
That so?
Yep. Shall we?
Lead the way! That way you’ll be eaten first if there are beasties within!
Haha! Silly, do you honestly think I’d lead you to such a nefarious end? One in which I, myself, would be at risk?
You have a point. OK, lead on anyway.
***
Gee whiz it’s dark in here! Are there no lights?
Hang on.
She heard the creaking of a door before a beam of light appeared,
Hey! Open it more!
Not yet. Before I open it, you need to know that it is a special door.
“It’s where figure skaters teach hockey players how to really skate!” she laughed.
“Hockey players can skate!”
“Yeah, until they get their feet into figure skates.”
“Hah! I guess it’s not easy.”
“No, it’s not. And just think, the figure skaters trust the hockey players to pick them up and not drop them!”
“Nuts.”
“You said it.”
He grabbed her around the waist and they twirled haphazardly, landing in a pile on the snowbank.
He leaned down for a kiss. “Guess I need lessons…”
*****
Just to give you an idea of what the skaters went through, here is a sample of one of the boot camps…
And, no skater achieved what Valeri Bure did in Season 2… If you want to skip ahead to their skate, go to 1:55. They won that year and you can see why.
Yeah, that’s right, DK… I’m stealing your style. (My favourite posts of yours, as you well know.)
I met my friend France downtown at 6:30 at The Eaton’s Centre for drinks and dinner. The place is under a mega-renovation so we were lucky we found each other! France’s friend had told her about the new Timeout Market that had opened. Call it the Bougie (Bourgeois) Food Court, if you will. (Thanks, B, for such a great term). Instead of your usual, Greek, hot dog, Chinese, etc. counters, these are all from some of our fancier restaurants like Le Club Chasse et Pêche or T Burger which is the baby of Toqué or Olive et Gourmando, to name a few. They have a bar for mixed drinks or beer, a soda bar and a wine bar where you can buy by the glass or the bottle. The concept is simple. Get yourself a drink, stand somewhere while you pray for a couple of seats to liberate and, should you be lucky, grab ’em as soon as you find ’em. Then, you leave your coat on your seat, tell the person(s) sitting across from or beside you that you are just going to choose your meal (not that anyone would consider moving your coat or stealing your spot, so really, it’s just an unnecessary added assurance) and go peruse the possibilities. There are tables outside of the bar area but you can’t bring your booze there so, needless to say, not an option for us.
Cocktail Bar
Soda Bar
Some of the Counters
Wine Bar
Everything is made to order so, once you have chosen what you want, they give you one of those light buzzer doohickeys (mine was no. 40) that let you know your food is ready. So off you go, back to your now-precious seat, sip your wine and chat while you wait. Or, as was our case, by the time we had our first glass of wine and found a seat, it was close to 8:00 pm so we chose to just wait near the counter for our food as there were no line-ups. We both ended up getting our eats at “Charles-Antoine Crête and Cheryl Johnson”. France went for the char tartare served with popcorn and shrimp “croutons” and I went for the Yaki-katsu which is a big bowl of Boston lettuce, fried beef, paper-thin pineapple and kimchi.
Char Tartare
Yaki-Katsu
Our meals were tasty, and at $17/plate before taxes and tip, we ate every last crumb, and managed to refrain from licking the bowl. The wine was wonderful – at $20 for a 9 oz glass (tax and tip included), not a drop was left. The place is happening and loud. Way too loud. We were both glad we could say we have been and neither one of us is in any hurry to return. It’s a great concept to give you a taste of a restaurant you would love to go to but that you know you need to sell your first-born to pay for the meal.
Despite the insane noise decibel, we did manage to catch up and promised each other we would not wait another year for our next one. I had parked a few blocks away to get my steps in, but France went even further so we walked to my car and I drove her the good six blocks (at least) to her car. Just as we got close to my car, I had to stop and grab a picture of the Cathédrale Marie-Reine du Monde (Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral). She’s a beauty though this nighttime shot of crappy quality barely shows it. What are you gonna do? You do what you can with what you have! However, I am now wanting to return during the day and try again.
Whenever I go downtown, I like to drive back towards the Jacques-Cartier bridge via Notre-Dame Street. It’s just so pretty with its boutiques and antique dealers. Odario Williams is the “Afterdark” host on CBC Music from 8 till midnight, Monday to Friday, turning out the music for our “nighttimes feels” as he says. From 8 ’til 10 there is a mix that is groovy and has good beats but come 10 pm, he slows it down. Just so happens it was close to 11 by the time I got to my car. My drive home was dreamy, starting with Imogen Heaps’ “Hide and Seek” then the very lovely “The City Holds My Heart” by Ghostly Kisses
A sweet French song “Les animaux” by Klô Pelgag and finally, bringing me to the last leg of my drive, “Stay Going Nowhere” by Jodie Landau & Wild Up, for which, unfortunately, no YouTube exists. Well, it does, but not the studio recording, but the one I’ve provided is with Valgeir Sigurðsson, a close enough match. All songs I had never heard, some a little more ‘new-agey’ than I normally listen to but felt just perfect to bring things down from the buzz in my head brought on by the noise and loud talking we were obliged to do. Thanks, Odario… you never disappoint!
Here you are, feeling rather fabulous. The one who means the world to you tells you you are sexy. Your friends tell you you are looking great. Hell, you look at yourself in the mirror and say, Damn, Girl! Looking good!.
You meet up with your beautiful and fabulous friend, Michèle, for a way-past-due lunch and you laugh and giggle and enjoy your tuna tartare and wine and dessert and coffee and next thing you know, you are the last ones in the restaurant and it’s been three hours of catching up. A hug and a kiss and a promise it won’t be so long ’til the next time and we part ways.
I am right next to a large shopping mall so I figure I shall treat myself to something pretty and lacy. I have something in mind so I enter the store, walk around, don’t see what I want and move on to the next one. Same thing until, bingo! Exactomundo! And they have my size. Now we’re talking. I enter the changing cabin, strip down to try on and suddenly, I am Cathy (shopping for suimsuits is just as disheartening).
So now my fabulous mood has vanished and I’m calling myself all sorts of names. I chastise myself: “Of course you had to ask for more croutons. Did you really need them?”
I get home, change into my workout clothes, bundle up and tell Zeke, who manages to work up a smidgeon of enthusiasm, that he cannot come as he is till limping and even if he were in fine form, I am on a mission and I have, no time for three hundred stop, sniff and pisses. I look at my Fitbit and see I have 7000 steps to go. Or is it 8000? I don’t have my glasses and can’t see shit. Either way. I am out the door.
My pace is quick and my rant in my head turns into a composition for this here post. I walk and walk and walk. Check the Fitbit. Wha? Only 5K? Jee-zus. Turn onto every curvy street determined to march off this mood. Check again. 6K? WTF? Is this thing working?
Get to my house and I am a good 700 steps short. Screw it, I keep on and go once more around the block. I can’t believe it took me an HOUR to get my steps in!
I enter the house, pat Zeke on the head, strip and wash off because, despite being freeze-your-face cold, I have managed to work up a sweat. Change back into regular clothes, take a look in the mirror, ignore my hat hair and note my bright eyes and rosy cheeks.
I then give myself a second scolding: “Don’t you dare talk to yourself in that tone of voice again, Missy. D’y’hear me? You are fine, just like you are. Next time go shopping BEFORE you eat lunch and drink half a bottle of wine. What the hell were you thinking?”
A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments. I always enjoy these challenges, so thank you, Sammi!
Word Prompt
Devour
Challenge
Hunger
They planned to meet at lunchtime which would give them a chance to dispel any butterflies they might feel. They walked hand-in-hand, both trying to ignore the electricity that ran up their arms while they walked and searched. They discovered a cool joint with a hippy vibe that served excellent beer and simple, yet fun food.
The decor was perfect to get them talking about this and that while they each surreptitiously stole glances. The chilled beer barely managed to cool their inner thoughts, though.
As soon as they exited, he pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. “I could devour you right here and now,” he growled.
I have done something completely unorthodox and I hope Crispina forgives me for it. Rather than start with her fabulous image, I started with my own so I could work my way up to hers. I’m truly hoping it will fly (though, generous soul that she is, I feel I’m safe). I would not have known what to do with it if her image had not been titled “Winter Gardens”. So… this led me to, well, to here.
The Project
I have a project for you.
Oh, you do, do you?
Yes, you remember that abandoned greenhouse you transformed?
Oh yes, I do. It had good bones and I was able to really make it swell.
You made it more than swell. You turned it into a work of art!
Oh come now…
Seriously. The way you fixed the outside and the inside, oh my!
It did turn out rather grand, now that you mention it. So, where are you going with this? I feel you’re trying to butter me up.
Me? Butter you up? Never. However—
However, nothing. Spit it out.
I found us a great project. I think it has great bones and when we are done with it, it will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before.
