Category: Writing

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 73

Posted on Posted in flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , 7 Comments

100wcgu-7
I’ve missed the challenge for a few weeks but hope to get back to regular entries. This week Julia’s prompt is ‘the notes from the piano‘ and here is my attempt.

Gap Year
They picked up the notes from the piano, each scrabbling to get the one with their name on.
Joanna
I know you’ll miss me little sis but that’s no excuse to flunk your A level’s, be good and maybe in your gap year…

Josh, pack it in right?
Dear mum
Beth and I are going to India. I’ve had all my jabs. Try not to worry, I’ll be fine. See you in a year; I’ll skype you.
Lots of love

Daddeeee please could you look after my fish? And drive my car sometimes? With love from your big girl xxx

January Small Stone# Twelve

Posted on Posted in A River of Stones, Old age, WritingTagged , , , , 11 Comments

I’ve just been out with the dogs and along the way I noticed an elderly lady in front of me. She made me think about luck, health and loneliness. Her clothes were an outlandish mix of brightly patterned leggings, old lady sandals and astrakan coat. Just as I caught up with he,r she stopped a young woman and asked her if she would pull her shopping trolley up to the traffic lights at the junction. I paused a second and caught her eye, eyes with those drawn on eyebrows and bright red lips, but she ignored me. She probably wasn’t as old as I had thought, but she was razzled and had a cigarette dangling. The young woman talked to her so I carried on, wondering if she got the help she needed.

Around the next corner was my lovely old man, https://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2012/03/19/a-contrast-of-elderly-men/ chatting to a van driver. It’s been a couple of weeks since I saw him, so I was relieved and asked how he was. He assured me he was fine and turned to the van driver saying ‘Hers boodiful’, I laughed and tutted at him and carried on. My last encounter was with another really quite old lady, with her dog, who stopped to talk to Daisy and Dido. I’ve seen her before, but only exchanged Good mornings. Today she wanted to chat so we started with the weather. She had a walking stick and told me how she woke on Christmas day, in agony with her knee. She is having knee cap replacement surgery on Tuesday coming and was quite anxious. I tried to reassure her with stories of friends who had similar work done and said I’d see her in a couple of months good as new. Brave lady, I hope she makes a good recovery.

These lovely people make me so aware of how isolated the elderly can be, but I really enjoy talking to them and I know it makes such a huge difference to their lives. They may not have as many opportunities for chatting as I do – or as you do! If you come across people who may be glad of a smile and hello, I hope you will. We will all be old one day, if we’re lucky.

January Small Stones# Ten

Posted on Posted in A River of Stones, England, January Small Stones, WritingTagged , , , , , , 18 Comments

A third of the way through January already, winter is creeping darkly along. There is  a suggestion from the Met Office that we may have some snow and ice on Saturday, which I really don’t want. Today at eight fifteen, it was a morning for headlights. So different from yesterdays blue, I got wet but it wasn’t raining. 100% humidity and all of it settling on me, turning my hard work curls to frizz.

I walked the usual way to work, and along the path beside a row of Victorian terrace houses, and with nothing but fog ahead, I glanced down. Leaves from the sycamores across the road dotted my way, in various states of deterioration. In August they were rich, bright green – summer’s rain had stopped them from frying, and autumn was late. It was late October before they were yellow, then gold, bronze, brown.

Now a few deep bronze ones had found their way to the edge of the walls. Underfoot, some clear shapes in brown remained, many very dark. Some had felt heavier shoes than others, and had jagged edges. An awful lot were totally trampled into black marks on the flagstones, decayed, disappearing, and waiting for a hard frost or more heavy rain to wash them away. I wonder if they will be visible next week. I must remember to notice.

January Small Stone# Three

Posted on Posted in A River of Stones, England, January Small Stones, WritingTagged , , , , 8 Comments

After work today my friend and I went to Topsham and had a gentle stroll around the empty streets, along to the end of the Goatwalk for a view of the estuary in the dark. Although the sun had set at four-thirty, the lights were shining down river at Exmouth and across the river to the west at Starcross. Occasionally the glow worm lights of a train travelled along the far shore, and a gap in the clouds, where the moon sprang through, created a reflection of the same oval shape in the water.

We were actually being peeping Toms – slowly walking past the windows that had curtains open.   Several homes had lights on, giving us a tiny insight into their world. Fairy lights and a few Christmas trees were still visible and the soft glow from hearths, plump sofas, cosy cushions and curled up pets. At one house where the kitchen was at the front, we could see an elderly couple chatting over a teapot at the table, as they must have for decades. A magical walk. DSC_1012

Welcome New Year!

Posted on Posted in Art and Design, Future, WritingTagged , 23 Comments

Each year I try to not wallow grumpily in the dark of the winter that I dislike so much, and I usually do okay until the end of January, by then I’ve had enough and will desperately seek daylight whenever I can. Until then I’ll try to let my body rest in the underworld as it needs, instead of fighting against tiredness. I’ve had some practise in the last six days, not getting up before 6am but burrowing and extra hour or two, and then lazing some more, reading and some walks in the wind. My energy levels will return as the days lengthen.

I choose to focus on the year ahead rather than the one we are leaving with quickening steps. I feel positive that 2013 will be an exciting one, there will be challenges – and I’ll thrive on them, there will be change, but that is so much better than stagnation. It would be wonderful if my path is a travelling one, there are so many places I dream of seeing. Eastern Europe, possibly the more remote areas of south west France and northern Spain, who knows I may even take my first steps across the pond. If fate keeps me in England all year, I will keep looking mindfully at Britannia and all her children, wherever they arrived from. England, Devon and Exeter endlessly surprise me and my camera will be close at hand.

Through my window I can see the dead seed heads of the Clematis Tangutica, growing over the hedge from next door. It hardly seems possible that in a couple of months it will burst with green buds, and then follow with its lovely lemon peel flowers for months on end. It is a personal clock, one of my markers of time unfolding. I also look forward to having some daylight before the walk to work and after the walk home, but I won’t ask for it to happen too quickly, it will unfold as it should.

The most important thing I could wish for is of course good health and happiness for my family and friends, including you dear reader, here’s to sharing the ride!

blessings

CPW’s Picture prompt

Posted on Posted in Creative writing, flash fiction, WritingTagged , , , , 40 Comments

Last week I went for a lunchtime walk with Crazy Polish Woman who complained that my blog is full of photos and not much writing these days. I explained that I have to keep my best writing for the course I’m studying, and to build up a body of work, but I do try to do the 100 word challenge most weeks, because flash fiction isn’t too trying.

Back at my desk she emailed me this picture, with the question ‘What is happening here?’

Desktop

The picture, by Charles Sims is called ‘and the fairies ran away with their clothes’ . But this is what I think is happening, what do you think?

Small Saboteurs

Now my love I want you to listen carefully.

You see these pretty little creatures at my feet? Well they are my small saboteurs and they lived with me for a long time. In the beginning they smiled and told me I was a silly little girl. But gradually they started to change. They said I was stupid, a hopeless case and that I would never get anywhere in life, and I believed them and became just that, hopeless.

Next they said I was ugly, and that I was getting fat. And so I never smiled, I screwed my face into a frown, turned my mouth down and ate and ate until I thought I would burst.

Worst of all, was when they told me that no one would ever love me. So I made sure that no one would, I behaved very badly.

Still my small saboteurs told me how bad I was, they all shouted at once and gave me such a headache that I shouted back, ‘Stop it, shut up and go away,’ I was very angry. They fell silent and huddled together, so I quickly put them in my hat and locked it in my drawer.

I felt a little better right away, and the very next day I met a handsome man, who said that I had a pretty smile. I smiled at myself in the mirror, turning from side to side, and saw that I had a tiny bit of prettiness, so I smiled wider!

The handsome man was always kind to me, and before I knew it, he said that he loved me and wanted me to be his wife. I was so happy that I forgot all about the small saboteurs, and then along you came.

So I want you to know that if ever a saboteur speaks to you, they speak untruths, and you must never believe them. I’ve taken these creatures out of the drawer and I’m going to drop them in the old well one by one, never to be seen or heard again.

 

 

 

 

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups Week# 69

Posted on Posted in flash fiction, short story, WritingTagged , , 6 Comments

This is the prompt over at Julia’s place this week, a hundred word story, poem or whatever springs to mind is the challenge.

Too late for some

I don’t know how you could eat that. Have you forgotten what we saw in the rain forest? Palm oil devastation? What about our pact to spread the word, to let our friends know, hoping that the circle of awareness would spread ever wider? When did your career become more important than us? It’s a bit like Eltsen isn’t it? putting growth and market domination before what really matters. Well soon there will be no rain forest but I’m not swallowing it, not sitting here while our relationship dies. You eat your Tik-Tak, if that matters more to you than an Orang-utan.

Gina volunteers at Teshie Childrens Centre, Accra

Posted on Posted in Ghana, Travel, WritingTagged , , , , , , , 9 Comments

I first met Gina when we trained as counsellors together ten years ago. We got on well from the start with shared passions for learning, travel, books and a touch of the alternative, and supported each other in our first counselling placements. Never one to let the grass grow under her feet – a Gemini like me, Gina has gone on to train in reflexology, and has also continued to study.

I remember when Gina  first voiced the idea of doing voluntary work abroad somewhere, she thought about India or Ghana, somewhere she could make a difference. It always had to wait for the right time, she is a single mum to a son but now that he is thirteen, it is easier for her to spend some time away.

We chatted occasionally about travel in third world countries; I shared some of my experiences and practical stuff. Nearly a year ago she told me that she was making plans, and Ghana was her choice. By then I had been there myself, not to volunteer, just to travel – in 2007 I toured around, and as far north as the border with Burkina Faso, and loved every minute I was there.

To raise the money for her trip Gina organised a fundraising evening. She sold tickets for a party with live music and a raffle, persuading and charming the prizes, and even the printing of tickets, from friends and local businesses, and then two weeks ago she was off! An hour before her flight she sent me a text saying she was real scared, and I said not to worry, the people are the friendliest anywhere in the country of smiles.

As soon as she arrived it was obvious how much she loved it, her joy just shines out, I knew she would. This is what she has told me.

 

The Under privileged Children’s Centre is based in Teshie Nungua and supports children from some of the poorest inner city areas of Accra. Those attending are from La, Teshie and surrounding communities. 

UCC was established in La, by a local Ghanian man named Billa Mahmud. Billa had grown up within this poor community and recognised the vast amounts of street children and orphans who were just roaming the streets or working without an education. In 1998 Billa began to teach what started as 5 children under a mango tree to 55 children under a larger mango tree to 80 children in a small rented room which he financed to what it is today, a thriving centre of which I have been honoured to be a part of. This project is continuing to grow and now includes further community initiatives including sports coaching and vocational training. Since 2010 UCC has been supported by a registered charity which provides volunteers and financial support to the centre in Ghana. The UCC is reliant on donations of money or resources and the sponsor a child scheme in order to continue its operations.
I have spent the past 3 weeks absorbing the local culture, the friendliest people I have ever met and the biggest hugs from these beautiful grateful children.
I am sponsoring a child here and plan to return with my son in 2014 to appreciate the growth of this unique project. An experience that will stay close to my heart…..

 Teshie sounds like an amazing place, doing wonderful work that will make a huge difference. Whenever a child gets an education, that child’s life changes and the effect spreads in expanding circles of opportunity.

If you have ever considered volunteering abroad I would recommend Ghana and I know for sure that Gina would recommend Teshie. It isn’t non-stop work, she has had  the chance to see some of the area around Ghana’s fabulous coast and to experience the culture.

Gina I’m sure that you will stay close to their hearts too, well done, you’re amazing.