This
meme was started by Delores a long time ago. Week after week she
provided us with challenging prompts. Computer issues led her to bow
out for a while and I took
over. When Delores' absence looked like being more permanent I begged
and cajoled for other volunteers to share providing the prompts, and
Words for
Wednesday became a movable feast. Delores discontinued her blog for a while, but she has returned. Her new blog can be found here.
Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write. Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or an image. What we do with those prompts is up to us: a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore... We can use some or all of the prompts.
Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog. I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme. If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.
This month the prompts were to be provided by Vest at his blog. Life has got in his way (as it does), so this month I will provide the prompts.
If he does put up a post, then we will just have more words to play with.
This week's prompts are:
Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write. Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or an image. What we do with those prompts is up to us: a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore... We can use some or all of the prompts.
Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog. I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme. If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.
This month the prompts were to be provided by Vest at his blog. Life has got in his way (as it does), so this month I will provide the prompts.
If he does put up a post, then we will just have more words to play with.
This week's prompts are:
- guest
- blowtorch
- horizontal
- groan
- episode
- action
And/or
- wreck
- featherweight
- luxurious
- parrot
- heating
- grizzly
Have fun.
Oh thank you, thank you, I was hoping you'd post words! I have a craving for putting them into some sort of story. I shall be back very soon with mine! Take good care, see you here soon.
ReplyDeleteKaren S.: I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with.
DeleteThe wheels are turning. I'll be back.
ReplyDeleteonly slightly confused: I hope your wheels give a smoother ride than mine. And look forward to reading your creation.
DeleteOkay...here we go
Delete"Well I have to admit Holly, the Locust 350 is certainly luxurious, especially the heating, but, I am worried. I mean, it's a featherweight and that grizzly looking sleigh salesman couldn't keep his hands off those leather seats. All he did was parrot off the list of features that were posted right on the wind screen for anyone to read for themselves. And, I wasn't too impressed with him calling my vintage sleigh an 'old wreck'. I mean, really."
Holly stifled a groan.
"C'mon Dad, you have to admit this is one sweet ride, Hop in, be my guest. I'll take you for a ride that will blow your mind. I promise, I'll keep it on the horizontal so you don't have a panic episode."
Holly engaged the twin jet engines.
"Buckle up Dad. Look at those igniters blaze. Reminds me of the blowtorch in the shop and catch this take off action." She laughed with pure joy and the Locust 350 sizzled across the night sky.
Fantastic job OSC:-) Wow you took on the whole mess of words and used them very well. Your wheels turned in a good direction.
DeleteOh what fun! This was great.
DeleteAnd here we are again...and here am I again with my little story for this week....
ReplyDelete"She let out a loud GROAN as she sprung into ACTION. Not another EPISODE to add to her ever-growing diary, she thought.
She’d been woken by the jumble of loud voices from across the way. Amongst the muddle she heard her name being called out.
Ever since arriving at the island resort one catastrophe after another had occurred. If it wasn’t one thing it was another!
She knew when she took on the role as manager that the resort was far from LUXURIOUS, but in so many areas it was such a complete WRECK. Often, at the end of her tethe,r she felt like taking a BLOWTORCH to the whole thing!
Climbing out of bed at the ungodly hour she felt crankier than a GRIZZLY bear with arthritis and a sore head!
She yelled at Percy, her PARROT, to shut up. Percy had begun screeching the moment she’d leapt out of bed. His piercing cries didn’t help! Percy knew something was wrong.
It was a tropical mid-summer, hot and humid night. She had been laying HORIZONTAL on her bed near the open windows trying to capture what little breeze there was. A FEATHERWEIGHT cotton sheet covered her near-naked body.
No central HEATING was necessary in any of the buildings at the resort. Between the high temperatures, both summer and winter, and the over-exuberant, equally hot behaviour of some of the holidaymakers none was needed!
As she raced towards the beach she could see a GUEST, one who had arrived at the resort previous day, lying spread-eagled on the beach, the ocean lapping at his feet.
His frantic friends ran to meet her. The careless fools had decided on a midnight swim when disaster struck."
Sigh. I suspect this story and variations of it appear in many resort manager's diary and memories.
DeleteGreat use of the words.
Most definitely in mine, EC! lol
DeleteGreat story. We need to know what happens to the man...
DeleteHe was left there...left to the elements, Annie! ;)
DeleteGreat job, Lee. Drawing on past experiences?:)
DeleteA question.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone seen any episode of any recent cooking show about desserts which doesn't involve the chef in an action packed segment with a blowtorch? Flaming the dessert horizontally, vertically, with a negligent twist of their muscular wrist. Or if the chef isn't wielding it, the guest star is.
I groan whenever I see it. And hope that himself doesn't get the idea that our kitchen needs yet another gadget. I really hope that.
I commented to Hilary that her story reminded me of my grandfather lighting the baked Alaska. I always knew he was going to catch us all on fire. He never used a blowtorch but it seemed like one. I did not know it was now a kitchen gadget. Aghhhhh
DeleteIt is heating up. Really heating up. And I am a grumpy, grizzly wreck. Even featherweight clothing is too hot and I am a sad and soggy mess. Luxurious trip to a sunny climate? A foretaste of hell. Give me snow. Give me ice. Now.
ReplyDeleteAnd if one more person parrots the phrase 'hot enough for you?' I won't answer for the consequences.
I empathise. I hate the heat. Fortunately the past couple of days here the temps have been great...but this is not going to last. They start climbing again as the end of the week draws closer.
DeleteGood use of the words, EC...very appropriate.
Ha! Good one, EC. Loved it!
DeleteHot enough for you? Okay now I'm running! Ha, ha, ha....
DeleteMy guest got horizontal, gave a groan, and took a blowtorch to my couch! Action episode!
ReplyDeleteCloudia: Thank you for playing. I suspect that is a guest who won't be invited to return.
DeleteHa, ha, ha...Great use of the words.
DeleteLooking forward to getting back in the saddle after the New Year! Great words.
ReplyDeleteSusan Kane: We will be very happy to see you playing again.
DeleteAn unwanted guest with a blowtorch
ReplyDeleteappeared on the horizon
A groan arose at his deadly episode
set action to my imagination
Martin Kloess: Both you and Cloudia have guests that don't deserve the name...
DeleteMe too. My guest is also bad. LOL Well, they say great minds...
DeleteA widely varied set this week, thanks. I'll see what I can do.
ReplyDeleteRiver: As always I am looking forward to seeing where they take you.
DeleteI like the above stories and you'll like the cooler days that are on your horizon. We're in the 20s here today and tomorrow, Friday too I think with the possibility of showers somewhere in there.
ReplyDeleteRiver: Our base temperature has dropped (a bit) but the humidity is high. I do hope it rains, and that the cool change forecast to arrive tomorrow isn't a myth.
DeleteHappy Writing to all.
ReplyDeleteThe Happy Whisk: Thank you. It would be lovely if you joined us.
DeleteThanks for the invite.
DeleteInteresting selection of the English words.
ReplyDeleteNot hot here :)
A few weeks ago we went out to dinner which is not uncommon for us :) and we had to cook our own main meal, dangerous to say the least - flames, hot square blocks all placed in the middle of the table - never again!
Margaret-whiteangel: I can remember a time when cook your own meals were common. NOT the reason I go out for dinner.
DeleteI could see how "going out", then cooking could be a good thing or a very bad thing.We used to go to a state park in FL where you could cook pancakeds on a grill in the middle of the table. Very tasty syrup to go with our cakes. So yummy. Can't remember a disaster there, just fun.
DeleteWell Hell! It was only Wednesday morning.Tuesday had begun a 5 day stint of her invited house guest (her old college roommate) and her uninvited newest plus one. The term boyfriend hardly seemed appropriate for someone approaching 50. She heard noise from upstairs and let out a barely audible groan. After the episode during last night's dinner she had decided to brace herself for whatever happened today.
ReplyDeleteShe had never been one to interfere in another's affairs as long as no one was getting hurt, but their constant bickering and sniping had made eating virtually impossible. If it had been just the three of them she would have excused herself from the action and leave whatever hurtful things they had to say to each other be between them. Unfortunately she had invited their other 2 suite mates to dinner also. After more than a few minutes of their tirade, she intervened and asked them to please wait until they were alone to finish whatever quarrel they had with each other. That request was about as effective as spitting on a blowtorch in hopes of putting it out. In fact, it brought an entire new level of discord to the evening and after a series of awkward tirades, the two of them left the table for their room. Naturally the other women sat around with glasses of wine trying to remotely understand what she saw in him and also what he saw in her. None of them had ever seen such an ill matched duo. They knew Carolyn was a feisty woman (Hellcat) and knew she had a habit of dating men who were equally brazen, and now they realized this one was as bad as his predecessors.
So now she waited, coffee brewed and a continental breakfast on the table, wondering just exactly how horrible the day would be and secretly hoping they would decide to eat a quick bite, make up some lame excuse to leave and be gone. She waited and waited until she heard some random notes coming from the piano in the living room. She walked in, coffee in hand, to find a little horizontal mambo happening on top of her Steinway. What The Hell!!! She was not braced for that!
Anne in the kitchen: I doubt her piano was properly braced for that either. Love this - a totally unexpected twist. Loud applause.
DeleteOn the piano?? That can't possibly be comfortable.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAha! It wasn't the kitten on the keys, after all! That put the cat among the pigeons, and took mood music a bit over the top!
DeleteLots of fun, Anne...your use of the words, I mean! :)
Ha, ha, ha...clever mind you have Ms. Anne.
DeleteI enjoyed reading above stories! What awesome use of your words. I will be back to read more!
ReplyDeleteNasreen: I always love to see the different ways people use the prompts.
DeleteI think I will give this a shot in a few days.
ReplyDeleteRiot Kitty: Good.
DeleteCannot wait and hope you will do it:-)
DeleteI've never tried one of these exercises. I can see where it would be helpful. Blow torch brings to mind a st about an uncle that turned a 46 Chevy sedan into a pickup.
ReplyDeleteRick Watson: One of our neighbours did something similar...
DeleteThanks for the words again this week EC. Good challenge. Mine is posted in poem form again on my blog. http://granan10.blogspot.com/2016/12/wfw-dont-ask-why.html
ReplyDeleteGranny Annie: I have been, I have read, I have applauded.
Deleteguest blowtorch horizontal groan episode action
ReplyDeleteThe guest had no idea - obviously detrimentally tool challenged - that blowtorch was waved horizontally around at waist height - a groan escaping from a charred jacketed friend. The episode repeated, the waving blowtorch came back ... more charring - action was needed this time - a dousing of that flame and the charred arm.
Why can't guest's follow their instructions ... the pudding, you fool, that's to be set alight ... not your host's arm ... good thing she had the elbow-length oven gloves on ...
Episode over ... time for the ads ...
Great words EC .. thanks - an interlude for me .. cheers HIlary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: I am more than happy to provide an interlude for you - and love where the words took you.
DeleteI laughed especially thinking of my grandfather lighting the baked Alaska. I always knew he would catch himself on fire. Great use of the words Hilary.
DeleteEC I love your post as usual. Love from cloudy Poland
ReplyDeleteGosia k: Thank you. Cloudy here too, but I suspect a LOT warmer.
DeleteYou are so incredibly awesome. I received another package today. It made me so glad. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI STILL have a gift here for you. I'm not kidding. It's been here beside me for weeks and I have been lazy and haven't mailed it. But I will. It will arrive after Christmas when everyone needs cheering up.
💕🎄💕🎄
Birdie: Which one? I have lost count now. Hugs. And you are gift enough.
DeleteIt was a set of three that you can put together or leave apart. 🌹🌹🌹
DeleteBirdie: They are made by a talented woman who often has a stall at our weekend bus shed markets. I really like her work.
DeleteI'm proud of you, this week's words had really challenged me. Thank you. I didn't get them all in, but there's always next week and possibly another chapter.
ReplyDeleteMy story is scheduled for Friday, as always.
River: As always I will be round to see what magic you have wrought...
DeleteHere's mine, and this time, your words were like an...invite to your garden :) I hope you don't mind the poetic liberties taken
ReplyDeleteSaid the GrizzlY to the Parrot, “Be my guest!”
The bird looked pensive and said, “Can’t think why
this reminds me of a long ago request
on similar lines made to a Missus Fly.
No thanks, I know you are no featherweight
though I have to say your digs look luxurious.
I'm better off on this branch than being the late
Parrot, your invite’s just a mite suspicious.”
“Ah, but MY parlour has central heating,
and I’ve used a blowtorch to make a perch
way high up on the wall for your seating
pleasure, a swing made from prime metal and birch.
It’s perfect and it’s sharply horizontal
and the only thing attached is your own
bowl for feed: rice, fish and vejtebal
there’s nothing here to make you groan and moan.
You wouldn’t even make me a mouthful!
How can you compare me to that fly’s host?
What wicked tricks do you think I could pull?
Why, you’re a peanut in a whale at most.”
“If a whale ate peanuts he’d be a wreck,”
the Parrot said, “you don’t seem to know much
about whales, or parrots – what they like to peck
at when they’re peckish, you’re quite out of touch.
I’m afraid the end result of this action
were I to accept, would be somewhat dire,
even though you might think me a fraction
of what a bear might deserve, or desire.
Besides, why should I even consider
stopping here when the weather’s getting cold?
Central heating can’t compare to Australia
and gorgeous skies in lilac and pure gold.”
So saying the Parrot took wing, flew off -
under this episode 'The End' was penned.
She’s now gone down under somewhere in Oz
to the Elephant’s Child, and the Parrot’s Friend.
Nilinjana Bose: Oh my. Oh my, oh my, oh my. I love this. And am thrilled to be immortalised in your words.
DeleteStill can't get Kipling out of my head :) glad you enjoyed the poem. Thank you for the fun time.
DeleteYour "poetic liberties" are phenomenal and make me green with envy. Another great poem Nilanjana:-)
ReplyDeleteThank you :-)
DeleteWreck of a ship that was heating up too much. Explosion that catapulted a (now) dead parrot into my arms, luxurious arms as it were. Bedecked in pearls and rubies, strong as a grizzly bear's and lithe as a ballerina's. Reason why the crew called me a "featherweight" rather mockingly.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
A Cuban in London: I am picturing this, and wondering. A wonderful picture you have drawn...
DeleteAlways love seeing what everyone else comes up with. Interesting word sets! I have had a busy week and this if my first day home in a couple days. Have to catch up on things- but if I have time I will come back and participate. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
DMS ~ Jess: No worries - you have had a really busy week. Hopefully a really good week too.
Delete