Better The Devil You Know Than The Devil You Don’t

She hated her Dad’s basement. It was unfinished with crickets and spiders and a few cobwebs. But she would endure her disdain for 20 minutes to avoid the unknown that was headed their way. The National Weather Service had just issued a tornado warning for their county in Kansas. She didn’t like it but hunkering down in the “dungeon” of a basement was better than possibly facing the unknown strength of the tornado that had been spotted Northeast of them. So, her Dad and her sat and listened to the weather reports on the radio and waited the storm out.

 

(100 words)

Written for Fandango’s February Expressions (FFE) #26

Run Kitty, Run!

The cat was playing with a cat nip toy.  He was batting it into the air and catching it with his mouth.  All of a sudden, like a sudden burst of energy hit him, he stood up and took off running on the hard wood floor.  He was coming up on the dinning room wall fast and began to skid to a stop.  However, his forward momentum kept him going right smack into the wall.  He didn’t miss a beat.  He stood up and started running back again and slid around the corner to the stairs and ran up them.

 

(100 words)

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – momentum

…on a personal note, I am sorry I have gotten so far behind again.  I am in a fibro flare and have seen three doctors this week.  Everything is as ok as it can be in a flare.  I’m just really tired and can’t concentrate well.  I will hopefully catch up this weekend.  Thanks for sticking with me.  (((HUGS)))

Don’t Throw The Baby Out With The Bath Water

I struggled with what to write for this one.  I didn’t know if I wanted to explain how it came from a German origin in the 1500’s.  Or if I wanted to tell about how in the past it was a weekly bath for the family… father first, then sons, then mother, then daughters and then last was the baby in the very dirty water – so you almost couldn’t see the baby in the dirty water.

picture from Pexels

I tried to come up with a comparison I could use in a story, got nothing though.  So instead of writing about throwing the good away when you are trying to get rid of the bad… I am just going to say that baby is just too cute to throw out.

 

Written for Fandango’s February Expressions (FFE) #25

Blown Away

We met in a whirlwind

A chaotic nonstop adventure

To others we probably looked crazy

But we were living on the edge

Never afraid of trying new things

And we would always be together

…

The rare moments of solitude

Became longer and more empty

Something changed in you

Our time together shrunk to nothing

And in a few weeks

You said your goodbyes

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – few

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Shelia was done with work and headed home.  She kept thinking, trying to come up with an errand to run so she didn’t have to go home.  She had begun to dread the trip home as her husband’s drinking had gotten much worse, much more and much earlier.

She walked in the garage door and set her purse on the shelf by the door.  She didn’t hear anything except the TV on in the living room.  She drew a deep sigh and walked into the room.  Sure enough, he was passed out in his chair, an empty vodka bottle on the table.

Her first instinct was to wake him up and ask questions and demand answers.  She knew now from experience it would do no good.  It would just frustrate her, and he wouldn’t remember it in the morning.  And it would do no good.  Until he admitted he had a problem and wants to work on it; she might as well speak to a brick wall.  Besides the more he drank the angrier he would be when she woke him up.  She gently placed a blanket over him, turned off the TV and went to the kitchen to make herself a late dinner and cry again tonight.

 

Written for Fandango’s February Expressions (FFE) #24

Unicorns, Mermaid and Dragons, Oh My!

I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s and unicorns were big back then.  I had lots of different figures, cups, mirrors, etc.  To this day I still like them but only have a limited amount of my collection left.  But I find it nice that they have kind of had a resurgence in the last few years.  I have a great niece who is wild about them.

Photo by Allie Smith on Pexels.com

My daughter however chose a different mythical creature to like.  Just after she was born The Little Mermaid came out from Disney.  So she had the mermaid costume, doll, stuffed animal, playsets, etc,  And of course she watch the movie until the tape wore out.

And last by not least is my sister and her daughter who are fans of dragons.  My niece has drawing, figures, stuffed animals, a tattoo, etc.  My sister has the dragon tattoo in common with my niece.

So those are the myths that are a part of my life… what is your favorite mythical creature? Fairies, trolls, centaurs, ogres, giants, phoenix, cyclops, etc. …?

 

(unicorn and dragon photos from Google search)

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – myth

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

You say you love me

But I have my doubts

You don’t do the little things anymore

Like holding my hand

Or a night out just because

You barely kiss me

Just a quick peck on the way out the door

And the addition of a hug at bedtime

Even the time to be intimate

Is fading away to nothing

Not ever a deep kiss

Or a caress of desire

You say you love me

But I have my doubts

 

Written for Fandango’s February Expressions (FFE) #23

The Sketch

Amelia was shaken up.  She had just had her purse stolen by a robber.  She did all she could to notice his prominent features so she could describe him to police later.  She did plead with the man to leave her identification, but he took everything including the ring her Mother had left for her.  Police brought in a sketch artist to draw a portrait of the robber.  His salient features made him easier to identify and he was quickly captured.  Luckily most of Amelia’s belongings were returned to her, minus the twenty-dollar bill she had tucked in her wallet.

 

(100 words)

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – salient

You Can Lead A Horse To Water…

Sitting at her desk, Jane was reading a book about young romance.  She heard the classroom door shut and knew reading time was over.  Her teacher stood in front of the class and began to talk about math.  It wasn’t long before she heard two boys in the back of the class whispering and start to laugh.  Mr. Thompson said, “Mark and Dan, are you going to pay attention or go see the principal?”

The two boys turned around forward in their sears and said, “Pay attention.”

The teacher grinned a little and said, “I thought so.  You know you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink; you can send a kid to school, but you can’t make him think.  Maybe you two would like to write a paper on that subject?”

The boys both shook their heads no and looked ashamed.  Mr. Thompson turned back to the black board and began to write a series of equations.

 

Written for Fandango’s February Expressions (FFE) #22

(Image from Google search)

Music Saves The Soul

She was so alone.  She was married to her high school sweetheart, but after 20 years had passed, she had begun to feel like a piece of unused furniture in the corner.  He just didn’t seem to want her anymore and had begun to tell her so in small ways.  Little jabs he would say, especially after a drink or two, that broke her down.  She began to blame herself and felt more and more withdrawn.

One day she was taking a walk for some peace of mind – nature seemed to be the only thing to set her mind at ease.  As usual she had her MP3 player with her to listen to as she walked on.  The music was set to shuffle but this playlist that had taken place was about to open up her eyes.  She heard a song called “Words” by Train that told her not to listen to what is said and it was followed by Skillet’s song “It’s Not Me, It’s You” and she had an epiphany.

She suddenly felt a weight lift off her shoulders as the truth came out through songs.  She didn’t have to believe what he said, they were just words.  And it was not her fault.  It was not her; it was him.  Her mind was finally clear to the answers.  The man she had married was gone.  The shell of a man that took his place was growing old and bitter fueled by large amounts of alcohol.  Although it hurt, she had to understand that being on her own was better than being dragged down daily.

She packed her bags and began a new life of hope.

 

Written for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (FOWC) – epiphany