This
meme was started by Delores a long time ago. Computer issues led her
to bow out for a while. The meme was too much fun to let go, and now
Words for Wednesday is provided by a number of people and has become a
movable feast.
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, and mixing and matching is encouraged.
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, which includes cheering on the other participants. If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud. And huge thanks to those of you who come back, sometimes time after time to cheer other contributors on.
The prompts will be here this month, but they are being provided by David M. Gascoigne
This week's prompts are:
- Laboratory
- Devoted
- Ridiculous
- Happy
- Tenderly
- Sick
And/or
- Encouragement
- Diseases
- Formidable
- Unruly
- Vaccine
- Cricket
Have fun.
The unruly cricket players were given encouragement to get a vaccine against formidable diseases like COVID and Monkey Pox.
ReplyDeleteMike, I wonder if they were too unruly to bother with the vaccine despite the encouragement.
DeleteJulia
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThere's always at least one.
DeleteMike: I wonder just what form that encouragement took. And am smiling as Captain Succinct rides again.
DeleteWell done, and they would do well to follow the advice.
DeleteEchoing Mimi!
DeleteExcellent entry at this time ... thanks Mike - cheers Hilary
DeleteI hope they became "ruly" and developed a vaccine.
DeleteXO
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I hope they follow the advice, well written.
DeleteEsta mañana nuestro amigo se levantó con bastante ÁNIMO y bastante CONTENTO. Era un día de primavera y celebraba su cumpleaños.Como todas las mañanas buscó por todos lados del patio el grillo REVOLTOSO, que no paraba de cantar toda la noche y al verlo, depositó unos trozos de tomate para que pudiera alimentarse.
ReplyDeleteLo miró TIERNAMENTE mientras comía y después desapareció entre las plantas.
Con la ayuda de su madre, que venía de trabajar en un LABORATORIO, prepararon el salón en donde se iba a celebrar la fiesta de cumpleaños.
Su padre no tardaría en llegar, era médico y ha DEDICADO su tiempo, en la cura de las ENFERMEDADES, de las gentes del pueblo. De vez en cuando, tenía que pasar la noche en le servicio de urgencias, por si llegaba algún ENFERMO en el transcurso de la noche.
Todo quedó FORMIDABLE con globos por todos lados, como elemento decorativos. La mesa dispuesta con toda clase de canapés y refrescos y la consabida tarta en donde se colocarían las velas. Ya solo faltaba la llegada de sus mejores amigos, para celebrar la celebración.
Los amigos fueron llegando y mientras crecía el número de ellos se aumentaba la algarabía. Ya era la hora de sentarse en la mesa y entonces se dieron cuenta de que el amigo más entrañable se encontraba ausente. Todos se extrañaban de que aún no hubiera llegado, ya que pasaba más de media hora de la hora señalada.
Ya pensaban llamar por teléfono a ver lo que le había pasado, pero en ese momento se oyó el timbre de la puerta y era el amigo que faltaba.
Después de los saludos pertinentes , tocó explicar su tardanza y es que cuando esta a punto de salir, se clavó un alambre mohoso y se tuvo que ir a urgencias y allí entre otras cosas, le aplicaron la VACUNA del tétano.
No faltó música en esa fiesta y chicos y chicas bailarón los últimos ritmos que estaban de moda.No sin antes ser apagadas las 15 velas de su cumpleaños.
Y eso fue toda la historia de un Feliz Cumpleaños.
Well done. I am glad that he had a happy birthday.
DeleteVENTANA DE FOTO: This does indeed sound like a wonderful day. Thank you so much for joining us again.
DeleteMuy bien!
DeleteUn bonito cumpleaños
DeleteFeliz cumpleaño a nuestro amigo. Muy bien!
DeleteThe laboratory was run by devoted volunteers.It was ridiculous how happy they were tenderly looking after the sick mice.
ReplyDeleteJulia
Short, to the point, and well done.
DeleteJulia: I love this - and hooray for volunteers.
DeleteIt probably made the mice happier, too.
DeleteHm. The life of lab mice rarely is a happy one. A "cancer mouse" certainly does not feel less pain when volonteers are tenderly looking after it.
DeleteHi Julia - good entry ... despite Sean's appropriate comment ... cheers to all of you - Hilary
DeletePoor wee mice, I am glad they were kind.
DeleteXO
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Another shortie! Nice and I too hope for happy and healthy mice.
DeleteUnusual mix of words!
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: They are, and are already producing some unusual (and fun) takes.
DeleteOh interesting picks
ReplyDeleteSakuranko: They are. David did well.
DeleteJim was a HAPPY little boy and his mom was DEVOTED to him and dedicated to ensuring that he enjoyed life to the fullest, despite the crippling injuries left by polio. On a visit to the seaside she made sure that arrangements could be made for him to ride a donkey along the sand, she carefully at his side to provide both ENCOURAGEMENT and support if needed. Jim never whined or complained and seemed to accept his disability with an amazing fortitude for a seven-year old child. He was quite aware that he would never play CRICKET with the other boys, but he was always there to cheer them on. He was already showing evidence of possessing a FORMIDABLE intellect and excelled in school. His best classroom of all was the spacious backyard behind their house where nature was a living LABORATORY. Already he could name many organisms, knowing both common and scientific names, and eagerly sought new species to identify. To be stationary in a bed of UNRULY plants was as near to heaven for Jim as anyone might ever get. A little patience and the insects would come to him. His mother watched TENDERLY over him and only wished that the new VACCINE had been available a few years earlier. To think that people were now making all manner of RIDICULOUS claims about it and how it would change your body and inflict other DISEASES made her SICK and very angry. If only they could see what it would have meant for Jim.
ReplyDeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: This is lovely and I suspect that Jim's mother is a world wide phenomenon. Vaccines have so often mean the difference between life and death and between life and an existence.
DeleteMoving and heartwarming. Thank you!
DeleteAnti-vaxxers scare me.
DeleteWonderful story.
Hi David - this was lovely and yes the reference to Nature in the backyard being the Laboratory of life ... well thought out - cheers Hilary
DeleteWhat a lovely story David, a brave boy and his devoted mother.
DeleteXO
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Lovely story, well written and a timely word of warning.
DeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: This was sad but kind of cheerful too. Jim sounded like he would grow to be a great scientist even.
DeleteHave a lovely day.
When Tod and Owen first fell in love they received no encouragement. Indeed they had faced formidable opposition from their families. Tod’s father said they were sick, and Owen’s mother agreed. They didn’t care. ‘ Love is unruly’, they said ‘There is not a laboratory in the world that has developed a vaccine against love’ defying their critics and looking tenderly at each other.
ReplyDeleteMore than twenty years later they were still a devoted couple, and ridiculously happy. The only fly in their ointment was cricket. Two different crickets. Tod believed that a cricket in the house was a sign of good fortune and welcomed their night time chirping. Owen thought that they were just another revolting insect and no doubt carried disgusting diseases with them. Cricket the game though was another matter. In season he played it, and watched it obsessively. Tod said he would rather watch paint dry. And it didn’t matter. Their vaccine free love continued.
Very well told!
DeleteThis is brilliant Sue ... excellent variation - loved it - thank you - Hilary
DeleteI love your take on this, EC. Most unexpected. And a terrific love story.
DeleteXO
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Well written indeed!
DeleteLove your (love) story! But despite the "good fortune" aspect, a cricket in the house drives me absolutely BONKERS! They can do their chirping outside, thank you very much. :-)
DeleteLovely love-story.
DeleteAt one point I was struck:
'Tod said he [...].'
Not 'she'?
Sean Jeating: Not she.
DeleteThank you, Sue. Immediately after I had pressed the Send button, the penny dropped.
DeleteLast question: 'Tod' not with a double d?
[In German 'Tod' means 'death'.]
Thank you, Sue. Immediately after I had pressed the Send button, the penny dropped.
DeleteLast question: 'Tod' not with a double d?
[In German 'Tod' means 'death'.]
Sean Jeating: I only intended one - but did not know that Tod meant death in German. Feel free to add that second D.
DeleteI had a friend in South Africa, sadly died now, but whose surname was Tod! Interesting Sean ... cheers to you both - Hilary
DeleteElephant's Child: Oh I like this. Isn't this how all couples are, fighting over the little things but still love each other.
DeleteHave a lovely day.
A modern tale, Sue, and one that we should all applaud.
ReplyDeleteOur Laboratory is Devoted to the
ReplyDeleteRidiculous! We are Happy to
Tenderly amuse the Sick
Sounds like a great laboratory.
DeleteCloudia: I am echoing David.
DeleteThe question is: Will the sick be amused?
DeleteSometimes the sick need all the amusement they can get.
DeleteHehe, amusement should be a great cure.
DeleteCloudia: Sounds like a good place to work. Wouldn't be nice if there are such places?
DeleteHave a lovely day.
Gettin' busy!
ReplyDeletemessymimi: Looking forward to seeing what you create.
Delete"A little nonsense, now and then,
Deleteis relished by the wisest men."
My little nonsense string of sentences will be over here.
It is ridiculous to think that it is self-evident to be always unruly happy and never sick.
ReplyDeleteA laboratory devoted to develop a vaccine against such formidable diseases needs encouragement.
We might hear a cricket tenderly calling ...
Sean Jeating: I always welcome the call of crickets but have never thought of their call as tender. My bad. Why not, after all. And hooray for those laboratories.
DeleteIf their sound is a mating call, i guess it is tender to other crickets.
DeleteLife isn't all rainbows and roses, is it.
Hi Sean - at the end of a day or a period of involvement - the call of nature can always bring us back to 'normality' ... I enjoyed this - cheers Hilary
DeleteI do love the sound of crickets on a summer's evening and wonder where they go in the winter and I'd rather it remained a mystery to me.
DeleteXO
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We need more laboratories like this. I have lots of crickets this summer. Well written.
DeleteNothing comes immediately to mind this time, I'll have to let the words stew for a while.
ReplyDeleteRiver: I look forward to seeing your stew.
DeleteGood stories EC.. always enjoy reading them.
ReplyDeleteMargaret D: Thank you.
DeleteHi EC and David - here's my entry for the 2nd set ...
ReplyDeleteThe laboratory coat hung on the rack … he'd always been happy with his job, but I hadn't realised how devoted he'd been … ridiculously so.
Now he was sick and we were all looking after him as best we could … but I noticed how tenderly his beautiful Persian cat stayed with him – animals always seem to know our needs.
Cheers Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: This is lovely - and very, very true.
DeleteBittersweet, and well done.
DeleteThe laboratory coat had always been happy with his job?
DeleteSorry, Hilary, just couldn't resist. ;-)
Sometimes you hold on to that one piece of clothing that simply reminds you of better times.
DeleteThe animals seem to know, don't they.
Hi Sean - my English is not good ... I just hadn't taken that on board ... so I'll attempt to edit my grammar more appropriately in future. P'raps! Cheers Hilary
DeleteYou always do it well, Hilary.
DeleteWell that was for the first lot ... here's the second set:
ReplyDeleteWhere on earth did you find that cricket ball … oh oh in that dirty ditch. Darling we must get you to the doctors for a tetanus injection against this disease.
Were your unruly friends playing with you? I think I'd better ring their parents and encourage them to follow suit … perhaps we could all meet at the surgery to get these vaccines.
Tetanus or lockjaw is a particularly formidable disease – which we need to nip in the bud … the only way is with a jab.
Sorry for that my son – but better than having muscle spasms, fever, sweating or even worse trouble swallowing. Yes you can speak to your friends, but let me get the surgery organised first.
Thanks EC - interesting words from David ... cheers Hilary
A friend of mine had tetanus, it took her forever to get over it. Great story Hilary.
DeleteXO
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That shot is a must! Good story.
DeleteHilary Melton-Butcher: Thanks for the reminder. My tetanus booster is due, and that is a disease I have no wish to contract. Well told.
DeleteA meanwhile – again – often underestimated danger, indeed.
DeleteThat's one thing i do keep up with, when my next Tdap is due.
DeleteI managed to put a fork through the webbing of my toes when as a kid I was helping out with gardening ... it went through the Wellington Boot - but off I was rushed for a jab. That's where the little tale came from - Hilary
DeleteI had a good time with this one. Thanks for the words David and EC
ReplyDelete------------------------------------------------------------------------
Their work in the laboratory basically involved disease research, particularly in the areas of the new virus variants infecting the planet, every month it now seemed. So very many sick and dying.
They were a dedicated and devoted team. Handpicked by the lead, Dr. Felicia Harte, a formidable severe woman who rarely looked happy but what she lacked in this she more than compensated for it in encouragement.
The team was unruly to begin with, competitive with each other for her attention as they sought the ultimate vaccine, the big cure-all.
She sat them down one day and told them she had no tolerance for their ridiculous petty jealousies. That smartened them up and they treated each other more tenderly and considerately in their long hours of intense labour after that.
Coming into work early on that fateful Monday morning, they were horrified to find that crickets had gotten into some petri dishes. Not only that, but the crickets had grown and were perched on the counters around the perimeter of the lab. Their eyes unblinking, their chirps magnified terrifyingly by their size and the tiled walls. Horrified, they watched as the crickets grew ever larger and flying on mass, descended on the hapless team and began to gnaw on their lab coats.
_________________________________________________
XO
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Woo, pure horror. Well written!
DeleteWisewebwoman: I am grinning. And wondering whether I would welcome giant crickets...
DeleteWell done, Mary Hitchcock. ;-)
DeleteA true nightmare!
DeleteYikes!
DeleteOh Wisewebwoman ... how ghastly - horror tale ... not to be thought about! Clever - thank you - Hilary
DeleteExcellent - and dystopian!
ReplyDeleteThis Wednesday I made it. Here's my contribution: Words for Wednesday
ReplyDeleteCharlotte (MotherOwl): I have already read it - and applauded. I am so glad that you were able to join us again this week.
DeleteDevoted scientists found encouragement happily thwarting the cricket diseases by creating a formidable vaccine. The idea was unruly at first and seemed ridiculous as nurses administered the medicines tenderly to sick patients with warp speed efficacy. -
ReplyDeleteI enjoy these word brain teasers.
SpacerGuy: Cricket diseases? I shudder to think. I can tell you had fun - and thank you for joining in and giving us some fun too.
DeleteExtraterrestrial [especially the nurses]. ;-)
DeleteI hope the administered doses worked. Thanks for joining the fun!
DeleteCrickets and diseases, Love it!
DeleteXO
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Cricket disease ... my imagination ran wild and showed me something like the Rhinos of Ionesco. I'm so happy the super-fast cure worked.
DeleteWarp speed efficiency in a hospital - now there's an idea!
DeleteMy family and I got all Covid vaccines. I dont know why? But anti-Vaccine people still more efficient than us.
ReplyDeletebread&salt: We have all of our vaccines too - which I think that most people here do. Our anti vaccine people are noisy, but I hope they are disappearing.
DeleteMany people are very efficient at getting their messages across.
DeleteLate again but here's my take on the prompts: Fiction: The Queen's Hot Air Balloon
ReplyDeleteThanks for the prompts. Have a lovely day.
lissa: I liked your take - as I always do.
Delete