Monthly Archives: August 2012

Winning #BlogFlash2012

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Hi. Sadly this is the final day of #BlogFlash2012. These last thirty days have been a rollercoaster ride of creativity, emotion, and making some wonderful new friends, and we couldn’t have done it without our lovely and supportive host, Terri Long. Thank you Terri for making this possible.

The Day 30 final prompt is Winning. At first I was going to write a piece about hoping to win relief from my constant back pain (I’ve got surgery coming up next month), but after a great deal of thought, I decided to share a very special memory with you all. It’s a different take on winning – most people think of winning a race or a sports trophy, but there are many other types of winning and this special post describes one. I’m sure there are many people who can relate to this post in one way or another and so this is dedicated to everyone who has been there.

 

Winning

She sat relaxing, cup of tea by her side. Since her last dose of Radiotherapy she needed to rest in the afternoons. She allowed her mind to wander, unconsciously fingering the small scar on her breast where the cancerous lump had been removed.

It seemed like it had been a long, painful journey, but was not even a year since she’d found it. Now she’d finished her course of treatment and had a final scan. Waiting for the results were agonising. She felt a chill run through her as she thought of the prospect of more treatment or that most dreaded of words, ‘terminal’.

Anxiously waiting . . .

The phone rang and she grabbed it.

“Mrs Roker? I’ve got your scan results. I’m so pleased to tell you there’s no sign of the cancer. You’re now officially in remission!” Her smile was beauty personified.

 

Masquerade #BlogFlash2012

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Hi. It’s the penultimate day of #BlogFlash2012 and I’ve broken the rules a little by going over my word limit. The story just seemed to take over as my fingers glided across the keyboard. So here, on Day 29 with the prompt of Masquerade, is my tale.

Masquerade

She was a vision as she stood at the side of the grand ballroom sipping from a dainty glass. Her royal blue gown matched her eyes perfectly and her elaborate silver mask complimented her dress to perfection.

A palpable air of excitement permeated the huge room and infected everyone attending. She felt gay and a little reckless instead of her normal shy self and idly wondered if the drink in her hand was responsible.

A man strode toward her, smiling. A fluttering began in her stomach. He bowed before her, extended his hand and asked her to dance. She nodded and smiled, placing the glass on a table beside her. He took her in his strong arms and waltzed her onto the dance floor. She inhaled his musky scent then looked at his face to see he was gazing into her eyes. Oblivious to those around them they cavorted around the floor, never breaking eye contact.

Whirling around and around, dance after dance she began to feel lightheaded. His lips brushed hers gently and he whispered in her ear “You’re mine now.” Her heart was filled with joy and his lips grazing hers once more was the last thing she remembered . . .

Frog #BlogFlash2012

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Hi. We’re getting ever closer to the end of #BlogFlash2012 as it’s now Day 28. Today’s prompt is Frog. I thought at the beginning it was rather a random prompt compared to some of the others we’ve had yet when I began to think of the possibilities, it was surprising how many different ways I could write about it. This is what I settled on. I hope you like it.

 

Frog

I remember my mum telling me in my teenage years, “You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince”. This resonated with me as my love of writing stemmed from reading fairy tales as a child, one of which was the Princess and the Frog.

I believe you can find true love more than once, but only one soulmate who grabs your heart in a way no other can.

I’ve kissed a few frogs trying to find my prince and a couple of times I thought I had, but was wrong. One day perhaps I’ll find him . . .

 

History #BlogFlash2012

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Hi. On #BlogFlash2012 Day 27 today’s prompt is History. I think it’s one of those subjecst you either love or hate, find fascinating or boring. Every day in our lives, something happens which will make its way into the history books of the future! Here’s my thoughts on the subject.

 

History

 

I enjoyed learning about history when I was at school and still make a point of checking historical facts occasionally for my writing.

To me, history is a wondrous thing. Everything which has happened in the past has helped to shape the world we live in today and strangely enough, this was brought home to me more so when watching the opening ceremony of the Olympic 2012 games, which in itself was history being made.

Industrial revolution from London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony

It’s incredible how the vision of certain people changed the world as it was and helped shape it into what we have today. I wonder who the next visionary person will be …

Sir Tim Berners-Lee – inventor of the World Wide Web

 

Seeing #BlogFlash2012

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Hi. We’re now on Day 26 of #BlogFlash2012 and today’s prompt is Seeing. This is another one that offers a great deal of scope to an imaginiative mind. I hope you enjoy my take on it.

 

Seeing

“Your grandmother left you a gold charm bracelet, she said one charm is loose, you must get it fixed.” The clairvoyant said.

I nodded and waited for her to continue.

“You’ll be moving house in January, take care to pack things carefully. Around February/March you’re going to have back problems. It’ll get worse from May leading to surgery around September.”

She then got out the Tarot cards and asked me to shuffle them. I passed them back and she began laying them out.

“I’m seeing . . .” she paused all colour drained from her face. She gathered the cards together quickly, adding them to the pack.

“What?”

The Third Eye

She shook her head. She gave me the pack to re-shuffle then dealt. The cards were identical. She wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

She turned away, saying “I have nothing further to give so you must go now.”

“Please tell me what you saw,” I begged.

She rose, walked to the door and opened it. “Goodbye Cassie and good luck.”

 

Blue #BlogFlash2012

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Hi. Today is Day 25 of #BlogFlash2012 and our prompt today is Blue. You might think a colour is quite limiting, yet this one opens many doors. Here is the door it opened for me.

 

Blue

It’s my favourite colour, especially royal blue. Yet, there have been times in my life when blue has had a different meaning altogether.

When you lose someone very dear and you dive mindlessly and uncontrollably into grief, blue is the colour of your days, not in your physical surroundings, but in your head and mood.

 

 

It’s like being surrounded by a blue bubble. You go about your daily tasks and speak when spoken to yet your blue bubble is like your comfort zone. It was a protective layer I wrapped myself in until I was ready to face the world again.

 

In The Woods #BlogFlash2012

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Hi. It’s Day 24 already and I can’t believe we’ve only got 6 more posts after today and then #BlogFlash2012 is finished. Anyway today’s prompt is In The Woods. As I wrote a dark-ish one for the Forest prompt, I decided to go the opposite way for this one.

 

In The Woods

I love wandering through woods. There’s a real sense of getting back in touch with nature and I’m lucky we have some great ones only a short-ish car journey from where I live.

As a writer, I find getting away from the hustle and bustle of town living very therapeutic. Wandering amongst the trees, ferns and brackens, and seeing some wildlife not only calms and relaxes me, I find a great deal of inspiration there.

The way the sun peeps through the arboreal canopy, the colours of foliage and wild flowers, enriches me in ways nowhere else can.

 

Cooking #BlogFlash2012

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Hi. Today is Day 23 and today’s #BlogFlash2012 prompt is Cooking. I originally wrote something about my cooking abilities, but wasn’t happy with it so I scrapped it and  wrote this instead. Enjoy!

 

Cooking

 

I watched as she opened an ancient tome and began to gather ingredients.

She took a pinch of this and a handful of that, dropping the items in a large round black pot which hung over an open fire. As she placed more ingredients into the pot, she chanted what sounded like an incantation.

Glancing at the strange clock on the wall, the lady gasped. She gave the pot a stir then dipped what appeared to be a bunch of twigs into it. Still chanting, she approached me and began shaking the twigs over me.

“What’re you doing?” I whispered.

“I’m protecting you, my precious,” she explained, smiling.

“Why?”

Then came a knock at the door . . .

 

On Holiday #BlogFlash2012

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Hi. It’s Day 22 and the #BlogFlash2012 prompt for today is On Holiday. This subject gives a great deal of scope, but I decided to go with the more traditional translation and write a short fictional story. I’m sure some of you will relate to this. I hope you like it!

 

On Holiday

 

The sun blazed down from a cloudless sky; Amy massaged water-resistant sun cream into Grant’s exposed skin. He wriggled, impatient to go and play.

“Keep still and it won’t take so long.” Amy continued until she was satisfied he was covered. She put the cream on the sunbed and grabbing his hand said, “Come on then.”

They ran down the beach and into the water where it lapped gently on the shore; in the shallows they began splashing each other, having fun, laughing.

Later as they dried off, Grant looked up beaming and said, “This has been the bestest day. I really love being on holiday, Mum!”

 

Night #BlogFlash 2012

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Hi Everyone. It’s Day 21 and the #BlogFlash prompt for today is Night. There’s something fascinating about looking up at the night sky, seeing the moon and stars, and letting your mind just wander and imagine what could be out there in the universe – things/places/other species which we haven’t discovered yet. Anyway, I decided yet again to try something different for this post and I hope you like it.

 

Night

Onyx satin above our heads

Half orb of opal luminescence

Reflection causing a halo of light

Diamonds glisten radiantly

Making shapes across the firmament

A hoot nearby breaks the silence

An owl spreads its wings taking flight

A cloud of bats journey

Exploring, hunting for sustenance

In the quiet, tiny creatures rustle

Moving in the safe camouflage

I sit and gaze in wondrous awe

My bed beckons, tiredness ignored

The magic of the night surrounds me

Welcomes me into its heart

And I succumb to its delights.