Write On Wednesday

Well Better late than never, I havn’t had much opportunity to participate in WOW of late and I have really been missing it! I was glad to finally find some time this week. If you havn’t already pop over to Ink Paper Pen and have a look at all the great stories.

I have gone over the 200 words (sorry) but my excuse is that my character is actually based on two people I observed while watching some road works and I wanted to include them both, inspiration comes in funny places sometimes!

Lou braked heavily and the water tanker rounded the corner throwing a big cloud of dust into the air sending his white hair brown, he wrinkled his brow and coughed, should have closed the bloody window.  He sighed and adjusted himself in the seat, the cracks in the old leather were irritating his sweaty back as he bumped his way along the country lane, following the large yellow grader up and down, up and down, just as he had for the last 27 years.

Lou could feel heat radiating onto his weathered face, the circadas were chirping already, it was going to be another stinker. A cold stubbie and one of Mary’s cheese and ham sanga’s would go down a treat about now, how long til smoko? A shiny white ute pulled alongside him, “Mornin ‘Lou” a young bloke with sunnies perched on the top of his curly dark hair sang out the window, “how are ya? Workin hard?  Or hardly workin?”

Rob had taken over the business when his dad had passed away last year, full of his own importance and always a bit too happy for Lou’s liking, he knew very little about not a lot and Lou felt that frankly a Kelpie probably could have done a better job organizing things than he did.

Lou nodded back, “G’day Rob.” “Hey Lou,” Rob smiled “Do ya reckon you could stay back till 4 today? I hate to hold you up but I want to get this section finished today, you know councils got there deadlines...”  “Lou stared at Rob in disbelief, Mate, you know I can’t, not today I’ve gotta knock off at 1, Mary’s got her appointment, and I can’t miss it!”

“Well Lou, it’s up to you but it doesn’t look like there’s going to be much work over the next few months and I’m going to have to give it to the blokes who are prepared to go the extra mile, know what I mean?. It’s alright mate, you’ll make the right choice!” Rob winked, jumped back into the ute and sped off.

Lou glanced into the mirror as the little flashing orange light disappeared from view. ‘Bastard ’ he muttered under his breath.

Chorus for the night time

Well its hump day, you know what that means, don't you??

 It's time for Write On Wednesday!
This week we have an exercise based on a photo by Kristy at House of Prowse. Kristy took the photo above, emailed it to me and suggested we use it as a starting point for a  writing prompt. I thought it was a fabulous idea, especially as it will provide a huge challenge for me. I'm not a visual person at all. But I'm determined to give it a go...

The Write On Wednesday Rules: Feel free to get creative with the writing exercises - there isn't a right or wrong. Please do try to visit the other members of Write On Wednesdays and leave a comment. You can grab the button for Write On Wednesdays from my sidebar.

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 7 - Sit under a tree and write: Find yourself a quiet spot. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Take a look at Kristy's Tree Photo. Write the first words that come into your head. Keep writing whatever comes into your head. Stop when the buzzer rings. Do this exercise over and over if you wish. If like me, you struggle with visual prompts, perhaps try sitting under a tree to write. I have heard that changing your usual writing place can spark new inspiration. Try it and see. Do both if you please!

I enjoyed this exercise quite a lot and I actually ended up doing it twice, the second time it went an hour over the time frame and somehow turned into a children's picture book, currently without the pictures...

 I wont share it here right now, but it is called 'The Oak Tree That Didn't Lose His Leaves' inspired by nothing other than an oak tree that hasn't lost its leaves this winter... go figure, lol.

The first one which I have put here today is a really short observation piece I did late last night.

   

Chorus for the night time.

Out here, the heart of the bush is a healing spiritual place, the cold night air so still and silent that its’ piercing nothingness resonates in your ears getting louder and louder, until it is broken, suddenly by the distant sound of a frog calling for his mate.

As I sit alone in the dark I feel whole, at one with the Earth that surrounds me. The grey ghostly shadow of an owl passes by, descending and almost appearing to hover for a moment as it picks up its prey with its long talons and moving on without a sound. Nature, raw & beautiful.

Yep, that's it. Oh well, I'm glad I got the picture book idea out, might be able to turn it into gifts for little family members when I finally decide to start the "Buy Nothing New Challenge"!

Head over to Gill's awesome blog 'Ink Paper Pen' if you havn't already, and link yourself up to Write On Wednesday!

Write On Wednesday - Status Addition

So this weeks W.O.W brings us endless prompt possibilities, the directions are as follows:

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 6 - Status Anxiety: Log onto your Facebook/Twitter page and write down the first status update you see.  Set a timer for 5 minutes. Write the first words that come into your head after your prompt. Stop when the buzzer rings. Do this exercise over and over if you wish. If you don't do the social media thing (there's bound to be some who haven't succumbed!) email me and I'll send you a status update from one of my social media accounts. If you feel uncomfortable about using one of your friend's status updates, consider using the most recent update on Lamebook, the home of the funniest and lamest Facebook status updates. 

Alrighty, here goes:

image

“No we are not eating cookies for breakfast. Because I said so, that’s why!”

And aside from the obvious health implications, it might also be because Mummy possibly ate them all late last night while they was sleeping.  Food makes everything better.

It always had, since Sarah was a young girl she had found comfort in food, chocolate biscuits were no exception. She tried hard to steer her children clear of this potentially self destructive path and offered them all the healthy options in the world, but sometimes late at night when she was alone with her memories she would curl up with a packet of Tim Tams.

 They had spent Saturday nights for as long as she could remember lazing on the couch in front of the television with a good thriller and a packet of chocolate double coat.

Sarah missed that, she missed him, Michael had loved Tim Tams.

As she bit into them and the crumbs spilled down her chin, it reminded her of him – his big comforting arms around her, the smell of his aftershave, the sound of his voice, but mostly the twinkle in his hazel eyes as he grinned and grabbed the last biscuit from the packet, waved it in front of her teasingly for a moment before gobbling it up whole.

They had always had a lot of fun together.

And there’s that pesky timer again!  Well that kind of took a different direction to the one I thought it was going to in the first paragraph and a half, I wonder if it is influenced by the fact that I have music playing in the background and the song had changed?

Want to join in the Write On Wednesdays fun? You can hop over to Ink Paper Pen and link yourself up!

The Times, They Are a Changin'

It’s time for Write on Wednesdays with Ink Paper Pen again! Sorry, I wagged last week my excuse is school holidays and the like.

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 5: Write the Music - A bit of choice this week: Pick your favorite song and write down the first line of lyrics OR turn on the radio and write down the first line of lyrics you hear. Then set your timer for 5 minutes and write the first words that come into your head after your writing prompt.  Stop when the buzzer rings! Do this exercise over and over if you wish. 

Extra Credit: After you do the exercise, try it again but this time play the song while you write. Could be an interesting way to get the creativity going... 

Song: Times they are a changin - Bob Dylan

'Come gather round people, where ever you roam...'

We would gather there, on the cold wooden floor of your room. The turquoise walls, made it feel small yet so comforting at the same time. The smell of insence burning over powering the ever present pile of dirty socks in the corner. You didn't care and nor did we, as long as we had our music.

The three of us spent so many days and nights in that little bedroom, writing lyrics playing songs talking about whats wrong with the world but we mostly listened to music, especially Bob Dylan.

Your style was just like his, your voice and ability to write amazing meaningful lyrics, you even looked like him. Your talents were recognised wherever you played and we all knew you had what it takes.

Time passed by as it does and I moved on. The last time I saw you we were gathered once again, but not to joke and sing within those familiar turquoise walls, this time we gathered in the open air to say goodbye to our friend.

This exercise got me thinking and reminiscing of a life past so after I kind of wrote a poem too if your interested...

I used to know him once, he played the string guitar – this homeless looking hobo man who’ll one day be a star.

My friend, the times sure were a changin’, our lives really have evolved. Remember how we played music by the firelight for hours? The nights grew long, our voices worn, fingers bleeding from the cold.

The life of then has all but gone, a memory from afar, an unspoken whisper in the sands of time, left without a scar.

Perhaps the secret love-child of a 60’s icon wrote that even though they never met somehow, telepathically they spoke.

The hobo man still sings and he plays on his guitar, the echo of Dylan etched deep within his repertoire.

The sun is setting, warm on his back, as he grabs his things to leave. Guitar in one hand, bag and his hat, down to the road he made. As he turns around one last time he holds his free hand up and waves , says “Goodbye my friend,” with a wink and a smile and journeys on his way.

Write On Wednesday

Its that time of the week again! Linking up with Ink Paper Pen for another...

 

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 4: Two Fat Ladies (88!):  I am sticking with the timed theme. It is much easier to find a spare 5 minutes than a big chunk of time to write.  Grab the 8th book from your bookshelf. Open it to page 8. Scroll down to the 8th sentence. Write this sentence at the top of your page. Set your timer for 5 minutes and write the first words that come into your head after your writing prompt.  Stop when the buzzer rings! Do this exercise over and over if you wish. It will be interesting to see where all our different prompts take us.

 

Ok. Here goes :)

 

...the heart is made fonder by absence.

 

or some other rubbish, her mother would have her believe. There is no good reason we should be apart, she stewed, no reason at all.

"17 is perfectly old enough to fall in love, Bethany. I am a women now and Robert sees me as such!"

Bethany sighed as she looked at her sister's pouting face, "look Rose, she spoke softly, if it is ment to be it will be, you have to have faith." Ugh! cried Rose, "You sound just like mother!"

 

Roberts face appeared at the door all of a sudden, he looked nervous. "Rose?"

"Yes, Robert?" "They wont budge. I will have to go." Roses face fell. Roberts father an astute business man had been posted abroard for a year. He was taking Robert with him, to learn the family trade. Robert didnt want to go.

 

"But Rose, wont you come with me a minute? Rose took Roberts outstretched hand and he led her out of the door and down into the garden. Rose, I have somehting for you said Robert in a slightly shakey voice. "What is it ?" asked Rose, Robert reached into his jacket and pulled out a small box, Rose took a deep breath as Robert got to his knee and asked her for her hand in marriage.

 

Yes! YES! shouted Rose and twirled around in delight. Robert took her hand and they ran back into the house. Mother! Bethany!! It IS ment to be she shouted still caught up in the moment. Her mother arrived down the stair case in time to see Roberts face blush with nerves, "He has asked me to be his wife!" exclaimed Rose, "when he returns from America we will marry!" Rose's mother sighed, her daughter had always had a mind of her own. Very well darling, and she took Roberts hand firmly for a moment, and with a slight smile she looked at him and said "you take care of my first born....

 

 

And there's the 8 Minutes up already! Its amazing how much more you can write in 8 minutes than the 5 we had in last weeks excersise. This was fun, thanks Gill!

If you want to join in Write On Wednesday too then just pop over to Gill's blog Ink Paper Pen and linky yourself up!

 

Nostalgia

Time for another Write on Wednesday! Gee, where did that last week go? "W.O.W" As we are now calling it is hosted by Ink Paper Pen, if you want to join in the fun, head over there and link yourself up!

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 3 - I remember: Write "I remember" a the top of your page. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Use "I remember" as your prompt and write down the first words that come into your head for 5 minutes. Stop when the buzzer rings! Do this exercise over and over if you wish.

I remember when we used to hop on our bikes, the scent of wattle trees thick in the spring air, it made you sneeze. We rode through the streets for hours laughing until our eyes watered, talking about boys and chewing on the sacred bubble gum so forbidden by your mother until it’s sweet taste finally faded away and we had ulcers on our tongues.

I remember how we would hide our bicycles at the bottom of the hill under that bush with the spiky leaves so we could jump over the wire fence and climb up to the top.

 Our mountain. Our safe place.

 We could see the world from up there, we owned it. We would lean over on the side with the view of the valley, the wind blowing into our faces, making our clothes billow up like balloons around us, it felt like we were flying.

I remember how we would play on the gigantic rocks surrounded by dry yellow grass as tall as we were, we’d watch the sun disappear over the horizon. Those rocks were our castle and the grass was filled with terrible brown snakes ready to strike at any moment, we’d count to 3 then jump off and run through it shrieking, laughing and stomping our feet, back to our bicycles and home for tea.

A June Afternoon

It’s Write on Wednesday time again, the long weekend threw me some and I almost forgot! This week the challenge set was to record a conversation between other people that didn’t know you are writing it down.Over a few minute period this is the conversation between my children sitting at the table next to me colouring in:

“I need the book!”

“Nah! I need it, give it to me!”

“Muuum? When are you going to buy some more printer ink? I want to copy this picture...”

“Get a da pinter eenk?”

“Mum Chloe wants to come in, can you help me open the door?”

“No NO NOOOOOoo I wanna da paper. Gett da paaper!”

“Oi! That’s not your pen!”

“Yeah! Amy gave it to me.”

“Nah! Thats mum’s pen not Amys”

Yeah! Amy gave it to me cause she likes me.

“Nah! She likes Buzz, not you! Muum Gucci’s got your pen!”

“How do you talk to a giant? – With big words!”

HAHAHAHA – and then they are all laughing like maniacs. Questions, complaints, fighting, it’s an everyday occurance. Should I be concerned? Do all kids spend more time fighting than playing?

The Princess is mostly a casual observer, she doesn’t say much yet, she interjects into the conversation occasionally to repeat something one of the others has said, generally things you prefer she wouldn’t like “shuddup” or she will ask for something they have “peas da paper?”.

Buzz is reading a joke book and making a paper pirate hat for Felix at the same time, he comes out with random jokes whilst Felix accuses him of sabotaging the pirate hat “see he doesn’t know how to make it! He’s tricking meee!” “Muuum Buzz is making a bad one for me!” He won’t try to do it himself but likes to criticize the brother helping him “Muuum! It’s too small!”

 Gucci is making his own pirate hat with a smirky grin on his face, “Im gunna give this to Amy at school tomorrow!” He may be only seven years old but he loves the girls and Amy is the latest crush to bestow folded paper goods upon.

“Mum look at this!”  Gucci has made Ben the teddy a miniature pirate hat and is singing sea chantys to him “Ahoy a pirates life for me... Muum can you take a photo? Then we can print it out and give it to Ben for his birthday!”

So that is my observation of conversational moment in time, I know I cheated by using the children who are oblivious to my writing in front of them, hey they would be oblivious to a Jumbo Jet landing on the table, but I am not quite ready for a cafe blog just yet. Want to join in the Write on Wednesday Challenges Fun? Hop over to Ink Paper Pen and Linky yourself up!

Write on Wednesday

 The wind is howling around the house, I gaze out the window upon the trees swaying violently on this cold grey day and I wait for a second expecting to hear the cracking sound that splits the air when a big gum gives up its fight and crashes to the ground.

My Border Collie is lying at my sneaker clad feet snoring gently, farting repeatedly and twitching his paw like he is chasing rabbits in his dreams, he looks old today and his black fur is greying slightly.

My head is aching rythmatically and I remove my unruly thick blonde hair from the grasp of the ponytail where it has spent the best part of the last 15 years in an attempt to relieve it.

I look at my hands as I type on the laptops warm keyboard, they are worn and wrinkled beyond my years, my wedding band has dulled and my nails are uneven from working in the garden yesterday.

 The wood fire is starting to die out and I glance outside to see the pile of wood waiting for me in the cold to collect it and re-stock the fire. The sun emerges for just a moment teasing me by warming my leg and disappearing again just as suddenly.

The hum of the computer is just audible through the din of window panes rattling and I wonder how the baby manages to sleep through it all as I escape the bad odour leaking from the dog and go to fetch a panadol and another coffee.


Want to join in the Write on Wednesday Challenge? Pop over to Ink Paper Pen to read the rules and link up :)