Sunset Pollensa
Posted for skywatch Friday, see more here
Month: August 2014
Weed Killer
It’s that time again when we Friday Fictioneers are sharpening our wits and our pencils, trying to come up with a suitable story to satisfy our dynamic leader, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (she who must be obeyed). Great photo this week courtesy of Roger Bultot.
I may miss the ‘Call for Submissions’ next week as we are taking a family holiday in Majorca. I’ll miss you and will do my best to catch up. Take care of yourselves x
Genre: Fiction
Word Count: 100
Weed Killer
‘Can’t we have something other than weeds?’
‘I like weeds, they’re different’
‘I’d like some flowers Charlie’
‘Weeds are easy to grow; flowers aren’t macho’
‘And weeds are?’
‘I trim them, keep them in check’…
Sally went indoors. They’d had the same argument for months, Charlie wouldn’t listen and she’d had enough.
She picked up the phone, it really was the only way to stop him. And besides, neighbours had started complaining about the sickly smell emanating from the shed whenever he and Joe were in there, having a smoke.
She only wanted a few flowers.
Not much to ask.
More stories to delight you here –
An Invitation
I love the old desk in the photo this week and wonder how many ‘letters’ we will receive…
Thanks to Mr Fields for the photo and for Mrs Fields for continuing to mark our work and support our efforts.
Copyright Jan Wayne Fields
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
An Invitation
Dearest Ellen
My words will be a shock to you and I beg you be seated whilst you read them.
When I refused Henry’s proposal, I know you were saddened as you wanted us to be sisters. My disposition would not have suited your brother and I believed the wedded state was not for me.
I write to you to confess that I was wrong in my belief and have accepted the proposal of marriage from Arthur Nicholls. The wedding will be in June, my dearest wish is that you will be my witness.
Your loving and devoted friend
Charlotte
Read more Friday Fictioneers stories – I insist
This letter could have been written by Charlotte Bronte to her dear friend Ellen Nussey. Ellen’s brother Henry did propose to Charlotte and she did refuse him citing her disposition as the main reason they would not get on. Charlotte married her father’s curate Arthur Bell Nicholls in June 1854. Sadly the marriage was happy but short, Charlotte died on 31 March 1855 in the early stages of pregnancy.
If you would like to read more the link will take you to the website of the Bronte Society
Bronte Society – Ellen Nussey
Thank you for teaching us to whistle…RIP Lauren Bacall
copyright Getty Images
It was with great sadness that I learned this morning of the death of Lauren Bacall. I grew up listening to my mother talk about her films, her love for Bogart, her voice and just how wonderful she was.
During a weekend stay in London many years ago, we were walking back from a restaurant to our hotel, when we saw her walking towards us. We were in Park Lane and it was quite late. She was all alone, hands thrust into the deep pockets of her raincoat, just walking down the road in the rain.
‘Look’ I said in a louder than expected whisper to my husband, ‘it’s Lauren Bacall.’
She turned toward us and said in that amazing voice of hers, ‘Yes it is, but keep it under your hat.’
Skywatch Friday – The Red Arrows
I was thrilled to see this fantastic display by the Red Arrows in the skies over Cardiff, not a cloud to spoil the view.
Posted for Skywatch Friday. For lots more photos visit Skywatch
Almost A Family
Copyright – Bjorn Rudberg
Almost A Family
Genre: Fiction
Word Count: 100
They stood facing each other in the bare, dimly lit room.
‘Do you want this?’
‘Yes, they are my family.’
He tossed the album into the box labelled ‘’Irina”.
“What about this?
He held up a grubby blue teddy bear, waving it menacingly from side to side as he walked towards her.
‘Don’t, please not again.’ The blow knocked her to the floor.
‘I would have had a family too, if you hadn’t lost him. Now you’re trying to leave. You were very careless Irina, what shall I do with you?’
He lunged for her.
And never saw the knife.
Read more stories here
The dark cloud from last week has lifted – yay! However, the photo from Bjorn reminded me of a story I read in the press a while ago, about a body being discovered in an abandoned, almost derelict house. The authorities had a very tangled web to unravel to discover what happened. So colour me ‘dark’ again this week.
Thank you to our ever patient Chef de Mission – Rochelle Wisoff-Fields and to all the other Friday Fictioneers who write such brilliant stories each week.
In Harms Way
My thanks to Rochelle for her photograph this week and for the continued support she gives to all the Friday Fictioneers. Each week she posts a photo prompt and urges us all to ‘say what we see’ – I apologise in advance for my mood this week. The news stories and film clips from the many war-torn regions of the world have occupied my thoughts for most of the week, to write anything in a lighter vein has proved difficult.
Copyright Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Genre: Creative nonfiction
Word Count: 100
In Harms Way
In the early morning we claw at the overnight rubble and debris searching for the missing. The children are terrified, the women distraught. The angry and patriotic young men talk of taking up arms, while their mothers weep.
What rains down on us from the heavens is making our land barren, what little food we had is almost gone. Clean water is rationed and in short supply. Cats and dogs lie dying in our streets; it is only a matter of time.
War mongers and posturing politicians lie safe in their homes; their strategy reduces ours to dust, to memories.
++++++++
Man was made to Mourn: A Dirge – Robert Burns
Many and sharp the num’rous ills
Inwoven with our frame!
More pointed still we make ourselves
Regret, remorse, and shame!
And man, whose heav’n-erected face
The smiles of love adorn, –
Man’s inhumanity to man
Makes countless thousands mourn!
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