September 12, 2012

  • 10 Thought Tuesday, July 15, 2008 – My Bruvver


    1) I’m really glad my bro has managed to come and visit, after not seeing each other for two years. It’s like he never went home after last time!
    This is him, about 20 minutes ago ~ looking ‘old and knackered’ after sleeping ’til 3pm. Hehehe. :)

    2) He actually can cook! On Sunday he made mince ‘n’ mash, something of a tradition when we get together as our mum used to make it every Saturday when we were kids. :)

    (He doesn’t look so old and knackered here, eh? :)

    3) While Geoff’s been having his extended snooze, I’ve spent a quiet morning sorting through piles and piles of old photographs, deciding which to scan and which to just chuck out. It’s been cool… I love photos, and the varying memories they bring out. I’ve got loads of all the cats who’ve owned me over the years! I’ll probably scan them all and make a Cat Album here on Multiply.

    4) I’m much more a cat person than dog. I know dogs are much more faithful and loyal, but there’s something about the aloofness of a cat that makes it even more special when they show you their friendship and love ~ it’s an honour. Me and Shane have already discussed the possibility of having a couple of cats when we have our own place, and I’ve already picked names ~ Nexus and Nutshell. Forward planning is everything!

    5) Tomorrow I go to Occupational Health for my DTaP jab. I need that, plus the MMR, for when I apply for Adjustment of Status after me and Shane get married. I’ve probably had them as a baby already, but my medical records only go back as far as when I was two years old, so the vaccination records are missing. I can only think that’s because I was born in a British Military Hospital in Germany, and when we moved to England when Geoff was born two years later, those Army records must’ve been left behind… oops.

    6) Geoff’s coming with me to Occy Health tomorrow (at least it’ll mean him getting out of bed at a decent hour!), then we’re going to have a mooch around town and visit the Albert Docks, and maybe catch the Ferry ‘Cross the Mersey. :) I hope the weather holds ~ it’s warm, but close, and I reckon we’ll have a good downpour before too long.

    7) Between us, me and Geoff solved my problem of now knowing how to do macro photography with my new Vivitar! If I take the photo in a massive size, I can later crop the section I want shown as close~up and it keeps its clarity. Yayyyy!! We practised with our hands yesterday. :)


    Not brilliant, or mega exciting, but a start, anyway! :D

    8) My last official day on my ward is August 24th, which leaves me a little short of a fortnight before I fly out to Shane. I’ve done so much sorting out of my belongings already that I reckon I could have everything packed and ready in just a couple of days. So… I wonder if, after Aug 24th, I could still work some extra shifts on the nurse bank… ? The money would come in handy, and it’d help kill some time. I’ll have to phone them tomorrow and see if I can still work after my notice ends. Fingers crossed!

    9) I dug out my old blow~up chair this morning. My sofa is only a two~seater and it’s easier when we’re chatting if Geoff sits on that, and I sit on the floor. I was using my beanbag until today, but it’s got beaded seams that keep digging into my bum. And besides… my chair is pretty cool, huh?!


    I bought it because of a line in a song by my favourite group Evar! ~ Alisha’s Attic. The song is called ‘I Wish I Were You’, and the line is…
    “As you make love on an other lip~shaped settee,
    You’re as cool as can be”.
    When I saw the chair in Argos, I had to have it! It’ll probably get left behind when I move though.

    10) Geoff’s going to have a good root through my kitchen stuff ~ pots and pans etc ~ and take some back home with him. The Army are starting a ‘Pay As You Dine’ system at the barracks, but Geoff and some of his mates want to start doing their own cooking. All my stuff was going to be simply left behind, so I’m glad he’s going to be able to make use of it. :)

  • Thursday 13 and a Bit – the “My Bruvver” Edition. April 8, ’09

    I’ve been thinking about our Geoff (or “Ted”, as some of you know him here) an awful lot these last couple of weeks, and missing him fiercely. He’s just about to finish his 22 year stint in the Army and start anew in Civvy Street, and I know he’s mad busy with all that going on, so I’m not too concerned about the lack of contact from him. Par for the course, as far as he goes!

    Anyway, last night I was looking for something in my files, and came across a card Geoff had written for me back in September, with instructions only to open it once I was on the flight over here. It made me smile to read it again, and set me off wandering down Memory Lane…

    1) My earliest memory of Geoff in my life is of him trying his bloody hardest to smother me with a cushion when we were toddlers. If mum hadn’t walked in when she did, I probably wouldn’t be here writing about it now.

    2) The next memory, still as kids, is me, standing on a chair to reach the sink to wash the dishes, and Geoff drying them. Again, mum walked in at just the right moment to find us facing off against each other with kitchen knives in our hands and murder in our eyes.(I think he wanted to wash!). Poor mum… she really had her hands full with us two. :)

    3) He scribbled all over my crayon tin with an orange crayon, and I grassed on him. Later, we were sat on the sofa and he had a tray on his knee with a plateful of ham sandwiches on it. Dad asked him, “son, did you scribble on your sister’s tin?” and Geoff said no. “Come on son”, dad said, “tell the truth, I’m not going to hurt you”. Again Geoff denied it. After dad asked a third time (he was army too, and scary ~ by this time even I  was shitting myself), Geoff admitted he had. “Well DONT….” and dad kicks the tray as hard as he can in the air “…. do it AGAIN!!!”, as ham sandwiches gently rained down on Geoff’s head. Hehehe.

    4) Mum opening his bedroom cupboard and finding piles  of moulding ham sandwiches in there ~ the unwanted and uneaten school packed lunches for the last several months. Probably something to do with #3. :P

    5) I got a compass one time and scratched a huge, deep scratch all over dad’s wooden~cased radiogram. I told him it was Geoff who did it, and he got the whalloping of his life. We were talking about it a few years back, and Geoff couldn’t believe it when I said it was me! He’d actually grown up thinking it was him, for all these years! Hahahaha!!

    6) Me asleep on the roundabout in the playground behind our house in Aldershot, and Geoff and his mate Gavin sneaking up and pouring a ton of gravel all over me. Gits.

    7) Geoff saying, “Go on Sue, punch me in the arm as hard as you can”, which I did, several times, with no effect while he laughed. I’d agreed to let him punch me back, ONCE only. He nearly broke my arm , and laughed again as I screamed in agony.

    8) Playing football, me in goal, and the ball hitting me in the face. It knocked the lens out of my glasses and Geoff came running over in horror thinking my eye had fallen out. :D

    9) Him and our father chanting “Mensa! Mensa!” at me in a sing~song voice because I passed the Mensa IQ test with a score of 158 but didn’t have the common sense I was born with.

    10) Geoff having an operation at about 14 years old which made it REALLY difficult to move and REALLY painful to laugh. Me and mum helped him gingerly climb up the stairs, settled him in her big comfy bed, took away the remote control and put cartoons on the telly before closing the door behind us, giggling while he swore at us. :)

    11) Him calling me “Susan Gullible Ashworth” for years because I believed everything he told me. A few years back, he told me that ‘gullible’ had been removed from the Oxford English Dictionary because some people complained it was derogatory. I actually went and checked. :D

    12) After losing touch for months when I moved in with my first husband, I came home from work one day and was told to “look in the bathroom, there’s a surprise for you”. My husband said that the look of sheer delight on mine and Geoff’s faces when I opened the door and found him hiding in there, then flying into each others’ arms for the hugest hug in the world, EVAR!, was something he’d never forget. :)

    13) Me getting to the final of “The Weakest Link”, and one of my questions being ‘what boy’s name, beginning with L, comes before the word ‘corporal’ to give a rank in the British Army?’ By this point I couldn’t even remember my own name. All I could think of was the George Cross, so I said “George?” (FFS!!). Geoff was a Lance Corporal at the time, and never lets me live that down. He still calls me George Corporal.

    The bit ~ Me sending him writing paper and stamps about 20 years ago in an effort to make him write to me, and still not hearing from him. I’m sure he used the stamps for sticking posters up on his walls, and I think the paper is still somewhere hiding in the bottom of a drawer…

    Some things never change eh? :)

    I could go on forever, recounting little bits and pieces that were floating around in my head, but I’ve probably driven you all to sleep by now. :)   So I’ll finish by sharing the card he gave me…

    He’s not a bad ‘un really, as bruvvers go. :)

  • Welcome Back to the Giant Cock!

    Seeing as HTML does NOT seem to work in the comment boxes… I’ll post it HERE. Ner ner ner xanga!

     

  • Poetry Posse – “Autobiography” – April 9, ’10



    It’s really simple. All you have to do is follow the format below.
    Line 1:    Your first name (or nickname)
    Line 2:    Four descriptive traits 
    Line 3:    Sibling of… 
    Line 4:    Lover of (people, ideas) 
    Line 5:    Who feels… 
    Line 6:    Who needs… 
    Line 7:    Who gives…
    Line 8:    Who fears… 
    Line 9:    Who would like to see… 
    Line 10:  Resident of (your city) 
    Line 11:  Your last name (to protect your privacy, you may use another word to describe  yourself)
    To add twist to the challenge: lines 1 and 2 should rhyme as well as lines 4 and 5, 6 and 7, then 8 and 9, respectively.  

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

     
    Mousie
     
    Gregarious, go-getting, earnest but silly.
    Sibling of someone who lives too far away.
    Lover of sunshine, cats and things slightly crazy
    Who feels hectically manic; at the same time so lazy.
    Who needs to come out of her reverie in the woods
    Who gives a damn that she should come up with the goods.
    Who fears nothing much while she has the love of her boy
    Who would like to see a world full of peace, love and joy.
     
    Resident of Thornville, Ohio.
     
    Slightly chipped.
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Click here for more. :)

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    TRIPLES with EMMA

  • Poetry Posse – “The Hellebores’ Herald” – March 21, ’10




    Cinna’s Challenge:

    My theme is nature. Spring has rung in today. Although, I look through my window and see huge snowflakes here in Michigan. I ask that you bring me something of spring to lighten the heavy burden of snow. I ask for the springs of new growth.  Please take a moment if you will and write a poem for us this week. Your participation is appreciated. Thank you, Cinna.
     
    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
     

    The Hellebore’s Herald
     
    The hellebores opened on the 20th of March,
    The vernal equinox.
    They raised themselves up in a gentle arch
    Which was never quite enough to lift their faces to the glowing sun.
     
     
    They seemed almost apologetic, heads bowed
    To the ground,
    As if ashamed to be too exuberantly proud
    Or boastful at being the first to greet the season of life reborn.
     
     
     
    They are content to appear quietly subdued,
    Understated.
    Even their colouring is neither loud nor rude,
    But a gentle green which is somehow fitting to herald in the flowers of Spring.
     
     
     
     
    To visit the Posse, click here. :)

    TRIPLES with EMMA

  • Poetry Posse – “Aaaaaahhhh… :)” – Jan 26, ’10





    This Week’s Theme
     
    Blackjack
     
    Write a three-line poem totaling exactly 21 words including the title based on the first thing you see at 12 noon.
    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    “Aaaaahhhh….. :) “
     
     
    A hiss upon the hotplate as the pot is pulled away.
    Drizzle. Fizzle. Sizzle.
    “Too much caffeine”? No such thing…. 
     
     
     
     
     
    Click here for more entries. :)

    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

    TRIPLES with EMMA

  • Poetry Posse – “Childhood Memory of (A) Fall” – Sept 29, ’09

    I had a really nice surprise yesterday when I discovered that my previous (and first!) entry to the Poetry Posse Challenge had won an Honourable Mention from the other participants, and  I’d been picked as the “Remembered Words From Time Passed” for this month of September 09. Bloody hell! You could have knocked me down with a feather! :D
     
    I’m hoping this boost to my poetic ego, which can be somewhat lacking at times, will help to spur me on to produce a little more mouse-type creativity. Thanks to everyone who voted for me! *muah!*
    The next Challenge is up and running ~
     
    “The theme this week will be simple and easy. It’s free verse, no line or stanza limit. But the theme is to pen (keyboard) a good moment that stands out in your childhood surrounding Fall. That shouldn’t be difficult, right? Right.”
     
    Well, let’s see, eh? :)






    Childhood Memory of (A) Fall

     
    A day at the park with Mum and Dad,
    My brother and I wrapped in eager anticipation and woolly hats and mitts.
    Leaping from the car into a whirlwind of leaves in motion
    As trees give up their coverage in a frenzy of wind-fueled dance.
     
    Crouching low to pick up a shiny conker,
    Jumping high to catch a falling leaf
    Or two, or three ~
    One gold, one green, one bronze, one red
    I want a crown of crunchy jewels for my head.
     
    The wind has whipped up mountains of crisp snap and crackle
    As we run for the slide and swings,
    Crunching our way up and over and down.
    I run too fast, wanting to be the winner
    And loose my balance, clumsy as I always am.
    Sprawling head first not into a forgiving pile such as just climbed,
    But chin meeting gravel with a sickening thud.
     
    I cry. My brother laughs.
     
    Mum and Dad come running.
     
    Dad picks me up and hoists me into his arms,
    Me facing backwards as, en masse, we make our way back to the car.
    I watch red drips from my chin mingle with my tears and fall onto his mustard-yellow sweater,
    Quickly soaking in like ink on blotting paper.
     
    My brother glares angrily at me and complains,
    Our Fun Day Sunday cut short.
    If looks could kill I’d be dead and not just sore.
    He sticks his tongue out at me. I cry more.
     
    But back home, nestled in an armchair in the glow of the fire,
    The sting of antiseptic on my chin soothed away by a mother’s kiss,
    The drama is forgotten as we sip our “special” hot chocolate.
    Catching a marshmallow with his tongue
    He mutters “You okay? Sorry Sue”
    And smiles.
     
    And later, tucked up in bed,
    I wince a little as my tongue catches a slightly wobbly tooth.
    But I don’t cry… instead I smile too.
    Maybe the Tooth Fairy will be visiting soon
    And I’ll get my crown of jewels after all. 


    TRIPLES with EMMA

     

     
     

  • Cases of Stories of Travels – Oct 17, ’11

     

    Teri hosts a weekly writing challenge, Fiction in a Flash, in which she posts an image and asks you to write a 55 word piece – no more, no less – inspired by that image.

     
    I’m stealing her idea. :)
     
    A while back she asked us to send images for future use in case she was stuck for something, and I sent this…
     
     
     
    It’s a statue in Mount Street in Liverpool, one of several dotted around that square, which I’ve always been fond of. Teri never did need the help she asked for (because she’s good like that!), and never used the photo, but I thought I’d post the FIAF piece I wrote for the photo anyway. Hope you don’t mind, Teri!
     
    Feel free to tell me where your suitcase would be headed… :)
     
     
    Cases of Stories of Travels.
     
    The exotic scents of Chinese jasmine and silk,
    Or a ketchup-drenched hot dog in New York.
    The moaning of Scottish winter pines,
    Or an apricot-ginger pancake on the banks of an Amsterdam canal.
    The business trip to clinch the deal,
    The country-cottage break to relax and heal…
     
    What story tells your suitcase?
     
     
    ~*~*~
     
     

  • Fiction in a Flash – “Believe” July 20th, ’11


                                         


    They say that when one door closes, another opens.
    Supposedly an affirmation of better things to come.
    But how can you know, until after you’ve walked through that opened door?

    You can’t.

    You just have to wait, and see, and above all,
    Keep hope.
    It may all come undone…

    Take a deep breath,
    And believe.

    For more Fiction in a Flash, click here.

  • Fiction in a Flash – “Synergistic Entity” April 24, ’11

     
     
    Free form gossamer,
    flowing like water,
    Rippling.
    The stone-skips of the music
    on the surface of the mind
    as it envelops the senses
    totally.
     
    The body sways and dips
    with fluid motion
    of its own accord,
    barely needing the mind’s direction.
    Senses, body, music, mind,
    carried with the emotional tide;
     
    Synergistic entity,
    Inextricably entwined.
     
     
     
    ©MP66 4/11
     
    ~*~*~
     
     
    The “rules” are few and very simple:

    * Your entry will come due each Saturday, when a new picture will be posted.
    * You may only write 55 words.
    * Your entry must be fiction.
    * Post your entry as a blog on your page, and drop off the link in the comments section on this page.
    * Have fun!  (Yes, it’s a rule!  )
     
     
     
    For more Fiction in a Flash, click here. :)