June 2nd Challenge

Hi it’s Christina –

Good Morning! I don’t know if you know this or not, but late yesterday we lost another beloved television icon. Ann B. Davis, better known as Alice the housekeeper from The Brady Bunch series, passed away after she slipped, fell and hit her head. She was 88 years old. Well, Ms. Davis, thank you for the many laughs and memories, and may you never have to lift a feather duster, cook for an army, or play referee to a bunch of spoiled rich kids again. God bless you and may you rest in peace!

As anticipated, yesterday blew moose chunks. Seeing the house all packed up, and then packing up stuff myself was really difficult. I had to stop several times while I was pulling up the stepping stones, to pull myself together. The day was hard enough for Sharon and Nan, the last thing they needed was me losing it; so I sucked it up and muscled through.

Chris & Paul

I did pretty well except for two times. The first time was when the neighbors, Chris and Paul, stopped by. They are such a wonderful couple and reality set in that I would probably never get to see them again. I teared up when I gave them a hug goodbye.

The second was when I was packing up the kitchen and I came across these stupid plastic yellow cups that Nan wasn’t planning on keeping. Every night, Pop would fill one of those dang cups with milk, and pull out three (never two or four, but three) Oreos, and they were his “midnight snack”. As far as I was concerned, they weren’t going to be left behind, so I packed a couple of them up, and left the rest.

The stepping stones were a pretty cool tradition Nan started when Beth and Christopher were little. I think it was in 2002 or 2003, a stepping stone was made with Beth and Christopher’s hand print, and the year. That stone was

"Thumbody loves Nan & Pop"
with PJ, Lys and Dani's thumb
prints.

placed in an area of stone between the grass and the deck. After that initial stone, if you came to stay at Nan and Pop’s, you made a stone to commemorate the visit (no, you did not make one EVERY time you were there, just once).

I dug up all the stones, and Dani boxed them up. At the end, we had five boxes filled with 8 – 10 stones in each; countless happy memories were made by many people at that little bungalow on the water. While Dani was boxing up the stones, I started boxing up some of the other things which still needed to be done in the house. I can’t even count how many times Nan said, “There’s no room!” meaning we had nowhere to put the stuff to bring back.

HAH! Even after knowing me for over thirty years, she still doubts my packing abilities. I wish she would have let me pack her car as well, because if I had, she wouldn’t have to be making a trip down next weekend again. I would have been able to divide stuff differently between the two cars, which would have allowed me to take some of the bigger things which were left behind. Oh well, whatchya gunna do?

Shortly after my hubby leaves for work today, his dad is going to swing by to pick up the tables and chairs to bring them back to his house for the surprise party on Saturday. After he leaves, I’m going to start my running around. I have to order the balloons, pick up the decorative dessert plates and decorations, then get everything back over to my husband’s parents’ house so he doesn’t see them. I also have to cook up some kind of story to get the girls and me out of the house early on Saturday so we can set everything up and get the food prepped. I can only do so much at home, and say it’s for Sunday’s party, before he starts to get suspicious.

Okay, I need to go get dressed before Dad shows up, so I’d better run. I hope you have a wonderful day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

Either start or end your story with the following (random line from a random book off my bookshelf):

“She raced up the steps to the entrance of the church.”

She raced up the steps to the entrance of the church. Her heart pounded and she felt sick to her stomach. What if she could not stop her sister before it was too late?

“STOP!” She screamed as she burst through the door. “Janie stop!”

All eyes were upon her, and she couldn’t blame them. She knew she must have looked like a crazy woman. Amongst shocked gasps and murmurs, she trudged up the isle toward the bride and groom.

When she reached them, Janie hissed, “Where the hell have you been Zoe? We waited as long as we could. Some kind of maid of honor you turned out to be.”

“Janie, I’m sorry and I can explain, but you need to come with me. Now.” Zoe looked at the thunderous expression in her sister’s eyes and the confused one in her soon to be brother in law’s. “Sam, you need to come too.”

Without waiting for a response, Zoe grabbed Janie’s hand and marched her to the alcove behind the alter. Sam dutifully trailed behind.

When they were out of eye and ear shot of the guests, Janie wrenched her arm away and demanded, “You’d better have a damn good reason for ruining my wedding Zoe.”

“It’s Michael.” Zoe whispered.

Sam tensed, and Janie raised an eyebrow, “What about Michael?”

“Janie,” Zoe said as she grabbed her sister’s hands. “Michael’s alive. He’s alive Janie.”

Zoe would have continued her remarkable news, but all color had drained from Janie’s face. She would have collapsed on the floor if Sam had not have caught her.

Your Next Challenge is:

That sure went to hell in a hand basket in a hurry.

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

June 1st

Hi it’s Christina –

Good Morning! Super crazy short and sweet today, and now writing challenge either. In an hour, Dani and I are driving down to Avalon. Nan needs some help and the car space for the last of her items. Sharon, Sharon’s daughter, and Nan are going down in one car, and we’re going down in mine.

As I said the other day, I had mixed feelings about seeing the house “one last time”, and it’s really going to suck - excuse my French - when that last box is put in my car. (I’ll probably be too busy beforehand to let it sink in.) I need to make sure I put an extra box of tissues in the car for the ride home, I’m going to need them.

My mom is taking Lys to the airport, so I can go to Avalon. What I really should be doing is working on that book I’ve been editing. For the first time, I am NOT going to be able to make my deadline, and I feel really awful about it. The story has been really good thus far, and even though there are some editing issues – what book doesn’t have them, right – it’s not terrible, so I have no clue what is taking me so long. I should have been finished with this two weeks ago. It’s only 250 pages for goodness sake! I just can’t seem to focus.

I’m sure a big chunk of it is me not having a quiet house to work in right now. Not only have I been struggling with this editing assignment, I have not written one word for Faerie Tale Queen or Simply By Chance, and they are supposed to be published in August and before the end of the year. Lys starts work at the end of June, and even though Dani will be home from school then, she’s a sleeper, so I should be able to get a nice uninterrupted chunk of time in the mornings… well, the mornings when I don’t have to work that is.

Here’s a real clue as to how unfocused I’ve been, I have not read a single book in over two months. Me, the person who reads three novels a week, has only cracked open books to pull out lines for writing challenges. I have tried, picked up books by my favorite authors, and couldn’t even get through the first page before I put them down.

Oh good grief! The clock just bonged. I didn’t realize I’ve been typing for almost twenty minutes. This was supposed to be short! I’ve got to go…now! I hope you have a great day, and happy writing!

May 30th Challenge

Hi it’s Christina –

A bungalow surrounded
 by McMansions

Good Morning! The initial plan for today was Lys and I were going to drive down to Avalon to pick up a load of stuff from Nan’s house, then turn around and come back home, but plans changed so we won’t be going down.

Nan & Pop's

I have mixed feelings over this change of plans. The Avalon house has meant a lot to my family and me over the years, even though it wasn’t ours. I would have liked to have seen it one last time before it sold; but then again, I’m not so sure the emotional experience of knowing it was the last time I’d be seeing it would be a good thing.

Ice cream on the back porch
Me, Dani, Lys, Beth, Chris

A lifetime of wonderful memories were made in that tiny bungalow on 7^th Street. Us sleeping on every available surface, and managing to survive with just one bathroom amongst eleven people. 

Coffee on the back porch before anyone else (except Pop) was up. Watching the otters raid the bait bucket, then dad cursing a blue streak. The kids running out to stand on the picnic table and wave to Miss Avalon. The gulls getting blown up by lightning. 

Adult beverages being consumed in large quantities. Chowing down on clams and crab, which we caught or dug ourselves. Subs from Moran's. Trips to Hoy’s for things we really didn’t need but had to have.

Moran's

Dad thinking he was funny by spraying the ice-cold hose into the outdoor shower, while we were in there. Watching the guys fight the crazy current, and either banging up the boats or the jet skis, or them getting soaked in a torrential downpour. Kayaking around the creek and laughing so hard we couldn't coordinate the paddles to get back. 

Floaty thingy
Tim, Kyle, Chris

The kids hanging out on that floating thing, then ending up in the water when they tried getting back on the deck. Fishing off the dock. PJ sending Christopher into the drink. Making stepping stones. Bruto coming to visit and begging for cookies. Endless, hysterical games of I'll Buy That. I could go on and on.

The back dock

It's sad seeing that chapter of our lives end, but I wouldn't have traded it for the world. We were incredibly blessed that Sharon and her folks allowed us to share their little slice of heaven.

Train Pop made which ran
under the house

I hope you have a wonderful day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

“It’s the only time in my life when I ever forgot what time it was or what day it was.”

(A quote from Martin Scorsese, in a biography by Peter Brunette. He was talking about a weekend getaway at a friend’s house which turned into a three week visit.)

It was the only time in my life when I ever forgot what time it was, or what day it was. Images flittered through my brain, fragmented, out of sequence. It would have been easier to catch smoke in my hands than to organize my mind.

The last thing I recalled with any certainty was riding my bike. The day was clear and sunny. The breeze through my hair was refreshing. I remembered the distinct smell of Lilacs, so I knew it was mid spring. I was happy and enjoying the ride. Though I was still unclear if the bike ride occurred moments, days, weeks, months or years before my brain became scrambled, it was my last clear memory and I held firmly to it, used it as a building block to reconstruct a timeline in my mind.

I have no idea where I was going with this – I still can’t seem to focus. Sorry.

Your Next Challenge is:

It’s a mystery…

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.