Weekend Writing Prompt #289 – Engrave

Posted on December 12, 2022 by Dale | 104 Comments

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.

This was supposed to go out yesterday but one thing lead to another and before I knew it, it was bedtime! It seems that this time of year, a certain someone takes over my muse. Yesterday was the eight-year anniversary of Mick’s heart attack and well, hell if this prompt didn’t apply. So, thank you, Sammi, for once again, bringing forth a word that I can use…

There’s nothing quite like

that person

who’s joie de vivre

is so infectious

They remain engraved

in your memories

long after they’re gone

Proof of how much Mick left his mark on any and everyone who met him, his (our) friend Leonard Yelle wrote this on his FB page yesterday:

“About 7-8 years ago I was misbehaving at my company’s Christmas party telling the band that it was a coworkers birthday. . As the band in the restaurant played happy birthday to my confused colleague my phone rang. It was my buddies wife Dale informing me that her husband had suffered a terrible heart attack. I left the party trying to understand it all. I went to see him the next day but he never came out of the coma.

I had met Mick about 10 years earlier on a fishing trip. We had loads in common and became great friends. He’d drop into the shop and as the press ran I’d hear the familiar cheerful sound of Mick’s voice shouting “Buddy” over the running machine , I’d turn and there would be standing Mick with his shit eating grin and mischief dancing in his eyes greeting me. He’d always try to include me into his adventures. Concerts, football tailgating , carting… whatever the outing might be laughter flowed like a tsunami,. His annual Christmas outings with the boys where he’d manage to siphon some money from the company he worked for and pay a few rounds of drinks instead of spending it on his clients and suppliers were an annual highlight. He was a force of nature and a gem of a man, son, father, husband and great friend. I got a chance to speak at his funeral and all I remember was starting off in a room of mostly strangers saying… Hello my name is Leonard and I’m a Mickaholic.

I loved him the minute I met him and I’ll love my dear friend to the day I die. His energy and outlook was infectious.

I hope you’re behaving with my brother buddy and I’ll be see you on the other side down the road.”

Every year, at this time, Leonard changes his profile pic or cover image to the following:

It’s Gonna Be a Bumpy Ride – Friday Fictioneers

Posted on August 3, 2022 by Dale | 136 Comments

Hello my peeps. Lovely to see you on this first hump day in August. How it is already August when July was barely a day long is beyond me, but I digress. Rochelle may be off cavorting in the ocean on vacay but she still manages to host this weekly shindig. She is a rockstar, eh? When I saw this photo by the super-talented Sandra Crook, I knew exactly where I wanted to go. Then I remembered (vaguely) that I was pretty sure I had written about this experience before. Dang it! A search revealed that I did. Back in June, 2017. Wait… back in 2017… who the hell is gonna remember it anyhow, right? Right. And, hey, it happens that others repost old stuff. This is more of a rearranging. Apologies to those who do remember it. I was surprised to see the number of Fictioneers from then who are still around today. Hope the newbies enjoy… If you’ve got an idea for a 100-word original story, then by all means, do click on the frog below and add your link. G’head. It’s fun 🙂

Frog Driving Car Stock Illustrations – 99 Frog Driving Car Stock Illustrations, Vectors & Clipart - Dreamstime

Click me to play!

“Total gridlock, Mon, in Sint Maarten! We’re gonna miss the boat!”

The walkie-talkie crackled with Sébastien’s voice. “If I make a move, you guys gonna follow?”

“Hah! Go? There’s nowhere to go!” Mick grumbled.

Karl’s voice came on, “We’re in!”

Suddenly Sébastien’s jeep, followed closely by Karl’s, passed us on the left. On the sidewalk. People scurried out of the way.

“Are they stupid?”

“You best be stupid, too, if you don’t wanna miss the boat!” I yelled. The song “Bumpy Ride” came on the radio. Serendipity? A sign?

“Put the music up louder!”

“Whoo hoo! Go, Daddy, Go!”

Raffi Said No – Friday Fictioneers

Posted on February 9, 2022 by Dale | 135 Comments

Welcome to Wednesday! The day when most of the Friday Fictoneersers deposit a link to their 100-word story via frog. I kid you not. We really do! Once upon a time, they were deposited on Fridays but, over time, it’s become a thing to do it as early as possible. (I figure it’s coz we know it gives us more time to read all the others… maybe Rochelle has an explanation. Then again, maybe it’s just simple evolution. It matters not. Here we are!

Apologies in advance. I fear I have not gone the fiction way, yet again. This wonderful photo, supplied by the equally wonderful Bill Reynolds, has sent me down memory lane. Much as people heard me go on and on and on about Tuscany, we had to hear Mick go on and on about his desire for a Ford F-150 truck. He wasn’t looking for one quite so “vintage” as this one, however 🙂

Blue Truck With Frog Watercolor Printable PNG | Etsy Ireland

Click to play!

How did your meeting with Raffi go? Is he pleased with the way the business is going?

He said I’m doing great, that if I keep working hard, my business will keep growing. He has faith in me.

Fabulous! So, what’d he say about you getting your Ford F-150?

Raffi said no.

Damn.

He said it won’t be long.

And you’ll heed his wisdom.

Of course. He’s not steered me wrong yet. He said he only wished Armen would listen as well as I do!

Haha! I’m not even worried. You’ll get it.

***

And he did. He was so happy!

Happy man

His new baby, March 2012

Mom and Me Time – Friday Fictioneers

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Dale | 156 Comments

It’s Wednesday and I’m on the ball here to play Friday Fictioneers. I had to go down memory lane again only this time, I imagined I was my younger child. I am still, to this day, reminded that it’s been an awful long time since we had our adventures. (Did I mention said child is now 22?) Never mind the store no longer exists but hey, I take it as a compliment that I am actually worthy of spending time with. Wonder if Indigo would do? Wonder if I would still get a “Yes, let’s go!” Till then, a special thank you to Ted Strutz for supplying this week’s photo as well as an always thank you to Rochelle for hosting! If you’d like to play along, click on the frog below to add your 100-word story link.

©Ted Strutz

Book Frog Reading Stock Illustrations – 147 Book Frog Reading Stock Illustrations, Vectors & Clipart - Dreamstime

Click to play

When Mom said: “Let’s go to Chapters!” my heart leapt in joy. It was the coolest place. There were four floors of books! I always looked forward to this adventure. We’d start off on the main floor, me tugging Mom’s hand to pull her towards the stairs that lead down to the kids’ section. So many books!

When I was old enough, she’d leave me to walk around alone, to choose the ones that I want. “I don’t suppose you want us to go and have a hot chocolate when you’re done, right?” Don’t know why she bothered to ask!

Tinsel

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Dale | 137 Comments

Quadrille Monday for dVerse and I’m actually posting on the same day? Will wonders never cease. It must be because we had to use the word Tinsel…

Silent Night plays while
tears stream down her face
like tinsel cascading from the branches
of a Christmas tree

Where the silver strands hang on
hers roll off her chin
disappearing into her shirt
over her heart

It is but her yearly ritual
Remembering

Missing Zeke – Crimson’s Creative Challenge #156

Posted on November 4, 2021 by Dale | 103 Comments

When I saw this week’s Crimson Creative Challenge Prompt, I thought, hmmm… reminds me of another we had done, awhile ago. So I went searching and was surprised to find that the prompt, no. 108, was issued on December 3, 2020, and I responded, as I often do, the next day, so on the 4th. Exactly five months later, my boy Zeke was with the angels. And now? It is six months, to the day of his passing. I guess sometimes there is a numerical thing that goes on. This time with the number 4. Anyway. I digress and blather on. A little poem, for Zeke

Eleven months to the day I wrote about you

How you had slowed down and we had switched places

Where once you waited for me,

I now waited for you

Five months to the day, you slowed to a stop

Passing over the Rainbow Bridge

Such a lovely expression, isn’t it?

My walks still take place in various woods around me

And each time I think how much you would

have loved this one, or that one

I sometimes think I see you out yonder

And I wait and I wait and I wait

But I know, deep in my heart

it is naught but wishful thinking

Weekend Writing Prompt #222 – Glow

Posted on August 15, 2021 by Dale | 65 Comments

I was going somewhere totally different had I done this yesterday. But yesterday, I decided to not play in the blogosphere. And today was a day that deserved a mention.

One yearyear ago today your life was snuffed out. You were but twenty-two years old. So much living ahead of you. It is so hard not to ask the question “Why?” But then, why not? We are not in control of these things.

We move forward without the physical you. And we congregate with your parents and your loved ones; all the people your glowing persona touched in one way or another.

We raise a glass to you and consider ourselves blessed that your light touched us, no matter how briefly.

To you, Pat.

Playing photographer

You had to be there…

Pat’s Tag

Best Buddies

Resiliency, Thy Name is Noëlla

Posted on July 20, 2021 by Dale | 87 Comments

It was prosery (144 words max, not including the title and no poetry allowed) Monday yesterday for dVerse. I’m late but hey, c’est la vie, I say… Lisa at Tao-Talk is hosting and went down a rabbit hole that started with Alice Walker and her interest in Zora Neale Hurston. So, Lisa landed on the following quote, which we must use:

No, I do not weep at the world – I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.

~Zora Neale Hurston, from “How Does it Feel to be Colored Me” in World Tomorrow (1928).

Reading that phrase immediately brought to mind my grandmother, who was also my godmother, and to whom I have been compared (it thrills me). No, she never used this phrase but its essence is definitely Noëlla to me.

You were my hero from the moment I was old enough to understand the stories. How you were the eldest of fifteen children and had you a choice, would have had none of your own – yet birthed seven. How you lived in lumberjack shacks where the sun shone through the cracks and the water froze in the kettle overnight. How you had the strength to leave your alcoholic husband to raise your kids on your own – and were judged for it by the Nuns who taught your kids. How you survived the death of all three of your sons over the years. How you became a businesswoman, despite a grade-three education.

“No, I do not weep at the world – I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.”

I know you were saying it’s up to you to make or break your life.

Pay the Price – Friday Fictioneers

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Dale | 168 Comments

It’s Wednesday! I am afraid I don’t do fiction very well. Of course, if I didn’t have so many stories to cull from, maybe I’d work my imagination a bit more. 😉 That being said, here is this week’s Friday Fictioneer contribution inspired by Sandra Crook‘s photo. As always, thank you to Rochelle for hosting this here weekly partay! Click on the frog below to add the link to your own 100-word story if you dare…

I asked the city for permission. They said ‘no’.

Why the hell did you do that?

It’s the right thing to do.

Ahh, shit. Don’t care, I’m cutting it down anyway. It’s too huge, sways like crazy in storms and the damn pinecones end up in the pool!

***

Mick’s friend Pierre, a professional, did the deed while the neighbours watched and cheered (they worried with every storm, too). They then chopped and put the logs aside to dry. Firewood for next year!

***

Two months later, the city slapped us with an $850 fine. Plus, we had to replace the tree. Cost: $150.

Bye-bye old tree

Hello expensive new tree

In a Rush For the Flower Moon

Posted on May 27, 2021 by Dale | 99 Comments

Two days later than I wanted to post. Sigh. Life. It does love to throw curveballs at you, doesn’t it? This one was a doozie and took me two days to recuperate from! Still… Please pretend we are May 25th – the day I wanted to post it, even if the dVerse prompt came on Monday, the 24th. Frank J. Tassone was the host and the subject was: write a haibun about the Flower Moon – said moon was officially yesterday and somehow, I missed it. Or rather was so sure it was the 25th that I didn’t even think of checking last night. This moon pic was taken on the 25th, however 🙂

You aren’t due till the summer solstice, possibly near a Strawberry Moon? Probably not. You are supposed to arrive when roses and and peonies and poppies are in full bloom. When the tulips and daffodils have already done their thing.

Instead, you decide the Flower Moon is more your style. You want late spring blooms: lilacs and rhododendrons, daisies and violets.

Maybe you know your time here will be brief so you want to get a chance to fully experience everything nature has to offer. Who knows? All I know is this: When the day is breezy and I open my bedroom window, the scent of the wild lilac bush right below my window comes up and wafts through my room, reminding me of you. And to think this year was to be your lucky year! Twenty-five years old on the twenty-fifth of May.

A Flower Moon child

In a rush, to see it all

Gone before you could