May 24th Challenge

Hi it’s Christina –

Good Morning! I really wish these clear skies would have started around midnight, instead of when the sun was already coming up. Last night, in the North East, there was supposed to be one of the most spectacular meteor showers ever. It was supposed to peak at two in the morning, and they were saying we could see upwards of a thousand “shooting stars”.

I looked outside at eleven thirty last night, and the sky was completely blanketed in clouds, so I gave up and went to bed. At twenty to four, Colby started barking his head off. I’m pretty sure, he has only done that once before, so I was a little concerned. I woke up my husband, which he was less than pleasant about, and made him come out and investigate with me. I can’t believe he gave me such grief. There could have been someone in the house. Isn’t it still the husband’s job to check out disturbances in the night? Sheesh! It’s not like I made him go out alone, I followed right behind him.

We couldn’t figure out what had gotten Colby so riled. Perhaps an animal came by our back door – I did flip on the switch and checked it out, but I didn’t see anything. So, I closed and locked the sliding door, instead of just having the screen door locked. Afterwards, Colby slept through the night. While I was up, I did check outside, and it was still cloudy, so I no longer felt guilty about going to sleep at midnight and not staying up until two. I wouldn’t have been able to see anything anyway.

First thing this morning, I was fighting with my printer. Not exactly the way I like to start my day. The invitations absolutely have to go out in the mail TODAY, since the RSVP date is June 1^st. I should have had them out earlier this week, but you know how it goes sometimes. The one thing in my favor is, almost everyone who is invited knows about the party(ies), so the invite is really for the map(s) to the venue(s) and the time(s). (Half of the folks are invited to both parties.

Oh, in case you were wondering, I can pretty much guarantee there will be NO writing challenges on June 7^th & 8^th. I’m going to be a wee bit busy. Two major parties in two days. I am certifiable! At least I should be able to keep the 50^th a surprise, because I don’t think my husband would think I was stupid enough to do back to back parties again after what happened last time.

Back when PJ was being confirmed, was the same time one of my best friends was having her first baby. So, on Saturday, I threw a huge baby shower, and then on Sunday, I threw a huge confirmation picnic. Over two hundred people through my house that weekend. It was insane. However, a mild mishap the week before the party occurred, which had me doing an inordinate amount of manual labor – I’m talking heavy lifting – and that caused a disc in my back to rupture. I woke up on Monday, and I couldn’t move, then ended up with major back surgery four months later.

Although I will be cooking up a storm, and I will be completely exhausted come Monday, I have learned my lesson. Any and all heavy lifting will be left to someone else.

Okay, while the house is still quiet, I should get some editing done. I hope you have a fantastic day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

It looked so much nicer in the brochure…

Connie shivered as a cockroach crawled over her sandal. She could no longer hold back her tears, tears of frustration, tears of disappointment. All her life, she had dreamed of traveling to an exotic location, one with a rich with culture and history, as well as unusual animals and foliage.store.

She scrimped. She saved. For over a decade, she denied herself any and every frivolity. She chose an apartment several blocks off the main drag, so her rent would be lower. Unless it was a downpour or a blizzard, she would walk to work as opposed to paying for the bus or subway. She had no cable television or even a cell phone. Her clothes were all purchased from the second hand store.

Ten years worth of sacrifice, and she was finally able to make a trip of a lifetime. She was to be spending three glorious weeks in South America. She was starting in Peru, then heading down to the Argentina, and winding up her tour in Brazil. She would be visiting Machu Picchu, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro.

But now, as she stood in the roach infested hovel, she wondered if it was all worth it. The place had looked so much nicer in the brochure, but it was obvious the photo must have been taken over twenty years ago.

Your Next Challenge is:

Cassiopeia was an odd duck; but then again, who wouldn’t be, saddle with a name like that, in this day and age.

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.

August 15th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

My oldest daughter and I went to the beach yesterday in sweatshirts and long pants. We took our chairs and our books and read for about two hours, then decided we were tired of getting sand blasted and came back to the house. The waves were positively wicked, and if this stupid phone would not take a week to send an email through, I would have had pictures to show you. My old P.O.S. phone had no problems sending pictures, however this “smart” phone can’t seem to figure it out.

Sorry, I cannot report as to the quality of the restaurant I mentioned yesterday. When we got there, there was an hour and a half wait for the table, which, as far as I’m concerned, was ridiculous, so we went elsewhere. The dinner we had was simply ok and way overpriced, but what are you going to do?

It got really cool last night and I was sitting on the back deck just enjoying the night for a little while before I went to bed. I had my head leaning back on the chair, looking up at the sky when I saw the largest shooting star I had ever seen in my life go scorching across the sky. I’m talking a foot and a half to two feet of trail before it ended in a bright poof. (In the land to sky distance conversion calculations, which I have no idea how to even begin to figure, the trail must have been miles long.) It was amazing. I came in to tell the family what I had seen and my husband tells me he heard on the radio there was supposed to be a meteor shower.

COOL! I ask, “Who wants to go down to the beach where it’s darker and watch the night sky for meteors?” My youngest is the only one who took me up on my offer because she had never been able to catch sight of a shooting star. We bundle up, grab stuff to sit on, and head for the beach. We only lasted about fifteen minutes – it was cold and dark and scary on the beach at night, my daughter’s opinion, not mine – but in that time I saw several much smaller shooting stars. Most important, my daughter did get to see one.

Today so far looks to be a mix of sun and clouds. The wind is still blowing, but nowhere near as strong as it was yesterday, so hopefully we will get some enjoyable time on the beach today. Tomorrow is still forecasted to be a complete washout, so today will be our last chance. It stinks. Today is the first day I can say I am completely relaxed, unwound, and in vacation mode. One week truly is not enough time for a vacation. Maybe someday we’ll get to take longer vacations…

Hope you have a wonderful day and happy writing!

 

Your Last Challenge was:

You are sorting through some things you had inherited and you find and old, sealed letter addressed to you.

 

UGH! I swear, every relative who has ever died, on both sides of the family, has left us with some of their furniture, and it covers most of our basement. How many dressers do we actually  need? That’s it. I am going to sort through, pick the pieces I absolutely love, figure out where to put them in the main house and then sell the rest.

I seriously doubt any one of the relatives would rollover in their graves over my decision. They were all practical sorts, not overly sentimental like I am. They would say, if I couldn’t use it, then it was just taking up space.

Where do I start? Two “piles”, that’s where. Keep – Sell, and it doesn’t go into the “Keep” pile without a designated destination clearly marked.

OK, Aunt Julie’s dresser, just because it is closest. I do like it. The wood is beautiful, but realistically, it is so big, there is nowhere to put it.

 

I was getting there, I swear. I’m going to do another photo writing challenge for you today, because, quite frankly they’re easier, and the photo worked for this week.

Your Next Challenge is:

 

You have 10 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.