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.
Charlotte (MotherOwl) has selected New Start Yellow as the colour of the month.
It occurred to me that a lot of our common phrases involve animals or insects. With that in mind this week's prompts are:
- the elephant in the room
- as busy as a bee
- as happy as a dog with two tails.
- chicken hearted
- a wolf in sheep's clothing
- cat got your tongue
- having a whale of a time
- ants in your pants
- or any other common phrases you care to use.
As always, have fun.
Here's mine. I'm looking forward to the rest of the efforts.
ReplyDelete-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My god, but the old bore was full of tropes. One for every occasion. They’d mock him behind his back, they’d anticipate him at the dinner table. They’d now come up with abbreviations he couldn’t interpret in response to his numerous pronouncements.
WSC stood for a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
ABB as busy as a bee and on down the line.
He would look baffled but continue with these conversational interjections.
Unfortunately he was Mr Holmes, their teacher, in this prestigious boarding school in the back of beyond for recalcitrant boys who had minor incidents with the law. Weary parents hoping for a fresh start for their sons.
“Cat got your tongue boy?” he snorted over the roast beef at Ronald whom he had questioned on the dates of the Napoleonic war.
“CYT!”recited the other nine boys at the table.
Ronald hid his grin behind his hand.
“What’s with you, boy?” The teacher continued looking angrily at Ronald. “Got ants in your pants?”
“GAYP!” yelled the boys, and all collapsed in a heap of laughter.
Mr. Holmes stood up but not before banging on the table.
“Mark my words…..” he began, but he was immediately drowned by the noise of “MMW!” from the freshly erupting boys. He stormed off, hopelessly confused at their unintelligible behaviour.
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XO
WWW
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That's quite funny, I hope he doesn't work out what they are doing.
DeleteThis is wonderful!
DeleteWisewebwoman: I am grinning at your inspired use of these prompts.
DeleteThis is great. Loved it. Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com
DeleteGlorious.
DeleteLittle Seans can be so cruel. ;-)
Hi WIsewebwoman - that's really clever ... well done - love it. As Sean says .. kids can be cruel - cheers Hilary
DeleteVery clever. Indeed, this phrase: "Did the cat eat your tongue?"
Deleteis something we also say here in Greece:)
Very clever. Indeed, this phrase: "Did the cat eat your tongue?"
Deleteis something we also say here in Greece:)
oh, that is quite hysterical! I love it!
DeleteHeeheehee! Wonderfully done.
DeleteI have an idea I might struggle with fitting some of these in a story.
ReplyDeleteRiver: As you know, there is no necessity for you to use them all.
DeleteOther people were as happy as a dog with two tails to be invited to Brad’s parties, and they seemed to have a whale of a time once they got there. They fluttered around from group to group as busy as bees.
ReplyDeleteRobyn was not. She was decidedly chicken hearted about them. Yellow bellied even – as yellow as the vibrant colour called New Start Yellow. She got ants in her pants even thinking about them.
The elephant in the room? She had fancied Brad something fierce when she attended her first and only one. Sadly the cat hadn’t got the tongues of her fellow workers. Not only did she fancy Brad, he knew it, and like the wolf in sheep’s clothing that she now knew him to be, he had made a fuss of her, flirted with her, kissed her – and then told the room (and hinted that they had shared more than a kiss).
They were barking up the wrong tree if they thought she would ever go to another. She wasn’t sure whether she felt more like a fish out of water, or a bull in a china shop but she wasn’t opening that can of worms again.
Very well done EC and I can sympathise with Robyn.
DeleteExcellent.
DeleteWell done EC - a whole range of common phrases ... poor Robyn ... yet life goes on as we all know. Great idea for this week's WWW ... cheers Hilary
DeleteE.C.,
DeleteOverall very clever idea for these prompts!
I think there are unexpected texts and very good ones! You made very good use of phrases in your text!
oh, very nicely done! and good for Robyn! He was a wolf!
DeleteYou made excellent use of the phrases, EC. Poor Robyn, having that awful man pick on her.
DeleteLove,
Janie
Excellent. While reading, people came to my mind who would always be the last to leave a party so that nobody could talk about them behind their backs.
DeleteWhat depends me, I would be one of the first to leave ... if I were a partygoer. ;-)
M'agrada la teva història, molt ben filada. ;-)
DeleteAferradetes, Sue.
Ha! Well done! For a minute there, I felt like I was reading one of the old noir detective stories that are so delightfully packed with clichés!
DeleteNicely told! I hope she never has to be that near him again.
DeleteWell done, EC. Woot. Woot. And great use of New Start Yellow. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Oh EC! What a very clever take on the words. I do hope she finds a better social group and meets someone more worthy of her!
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Those are some unique prompts! Well done.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi EC - here's mine ... I'll be back - if not tomorrow then Thursday ... happy days ahead ... cheers Hilary:
ReplyDeleteOh yes – she had butterflies in her tummy, but better than that elephant in the room they keep talking about, especially as it was as busy as a bee; Then Buttons, our dog, became chicken-hearted … he definitely wasn't a wolf in sheep's clothing. Did the cat get your tongue, Buster?
Look, could we get this over with … I want to go back to having a whale of a time, but I am seriously concerned about those ants in your pants, what are they doing now? The sulphur yellow brimstone butterfly eggs will have hatched if we don't get a move on … oh come on! There's only so many hours in the day … and yes, next week, we can have more parties … you haven't forgotten have you?
Bye bye baby goodbye …
Hilary Melton-Butcher: This is great - and I am glad to hear you have happy days ahead. How could I forget butterflies in the tummy - something I know only too well.
DeleteYou've done enormously well with all the prompts Hilary!!
DeleteXO
WWW
Very nice Hillary!
DeleteI was looking forward to where you go!!
Wonderful! you came up with some more that I could not think of!
DeleteNo, I haven't (forgotten). ;-)
DeleteGreat job, Hils. Very creative.
DeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Nicely done!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnd here's the missing "ten" in gotten plus a tiny t. ;-)
DeleteDidn't I tell above? ;-)
As last week I felt suboptimal – well, I still do – Tonight I do also add last weeks prompts. Here we go.
ReplyDeleteBefore the beginning of spring a forager as busy as a bee collected the wrong mushrooms, got high and happy as a dog with two tails, and ... found himself in a shadow life. What a masquerade!
The elephant in the room and a wolf in sheep's clothing obviously having a whale of a time, while our chicken hearted forager's tongue's seems gotten by the cat, when his rebelling organs let him feel ants in his pants and his badly digested mushrooms ending up on his new start yellow towel.
That's my story.
Happy New Year, and the peace of the night.
Sean Jeating: I am sorry to hear you have been under the weather and hope you stop feeling sick as a dog soon. In the interim loud applause for your use of such different prompts.
DeleteAlways a quirky take, thanks Sean!
DeleteXO
WWW
H Sean - oh feeling 'off' is such a pain - hope you fully recover soon. Fun take on Sue's suggestions of common phrases ... but I hope you can gather your strength back as soon as possible. Cheers Hilary
DeleteUn fort aplaudiment al rei dels embolics. ;-)👏👏👏
DeletePosa't bé aviat!
Hugs, Sean.
Very good use of phrases in this text as well.
DeleteGood description of the feeling of not feeling well!
Overall very good!
nicely pulled together for a very graphic visual of that poor towel!
DeleteGood job on the prompts, Sean. Sorry you are 'under the weather'. Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com
DeleteYou blended them wonderfully!
DeleteThank you for all the good wishes and comments.
DeleteOne doesn't realise how often one swallows day and night as long as each swallow doesn't hurt like hell.
Ten days later: was there anything? ;-)
@ Cindy: What a kismet for that brand new start yellow towel, eh?!
It's been a long day, I'm playing late and will see how it turns out.
ReplyDeleteNot my best effort, but it's what came to mind in the time I had.
Deletemessymimi: I am looking forward to reading it and strongly suspect you are being too hard on yourself. Again.
Deletemessymimi: S'assolí l'objectiu, la sorpresa fou un èxit.
DeleteMolt bon relat! ;-)
Well done!
DeleteHere's mine:
ReplyDelete- Com va anar el viatge?
- Molt bé!
- I que et va cridar més l'atenció?
- Un elefant grog a l'habitació!
- Què dius? Com pot cabre un elefant a l'habitació?
- Doncs sí! Hi havia també un homenet ocupat com una abella sense parar-se ni per beure...
- Què hi té a veure un elefant groc amb l'homenet?
- També hi havia un llop amb pell de xai, passant-ho genial amb el que li trauria al covard del seu cosí... no se'l veia venir... i ell tan feliç com un gos amb dues cues!
_ Noi, no entenc res!
- Però quan va veure el que va passar, les formigues li pujaven pels pantalons i va sortir per cames d'allà... i s'oblidà de recollir l'elefant...
- . . . . . . . . .
- Un gat t'ha menjat la llengua?
- No, però no entenc res de res.
- Ai, noi! Una obra de teatre que vaig anar a veure i que em va encantar!
- Uff, ja deia jo!
- Home, és que t'ho han d'explicar tot fil per randa!!
Moltes gràcies!!
https://elraconetdesalluna.blogspot.com/2025/01/fil-per-randa.html
DeleteSorry! 😉
Fantastic!
DeleteI really like the use of phrases!
Una història molt intel·ligent que m'ha agradat molt!
Deletesa lluna: I read it on your blog - and was very impressed.
DeleteThank you very much to all three!!
DeleteDos pardals d'un tret, eh? ;-)
DeleteSean: Doncs sí, s'ha d'aprofitar. ;-)
DeleteNicely done! Muy bien!
DeleteLOL! Great tale, indeed. I was stumped by these imaginative prompts, but you took up the challenge and came through with flying colors!
ReplyDeleteMine is finally up, better late than never
ReplyDeleteCindi: Off to read it now.
DeleteKaterinas Blog said she really liked the prompts and perhaps she will play on her blog. I hope so and regret accidentally deleting her comments.
ReplyDeleteOh EC - what a nuisance, but thank you for telling us that she'd been commenting. I guess I should be learning to Greek to understand that language - sadly unlikely ... cheers to you both - Hilary
DeleteYou are so kind E.C. ,
Deleteno problem at all,
thank you!!
I admire everyone who creates these responses to the prompts. What fun, Sue!
ReplyDeleteFundy Blue: It is fun. Perhaps you will join us some week.
Deletethecontemplativecat here.
ReplyDeleteHappy Henry’s Veterinarian provided treatment for a wide assortment of animals. The line to the office wound out the door and around to the parking lot, where a huge circus tent was set up for larger animal patients. And local observers.
As always, his patients were never the same usual animals. Nancy brought in Lady as happy as a dog with two tails could be. He lanced the abscess under one leg carefully, avoiding the two tails that whipped around with happiness.
Next came Old Man Bill with cat Fluffy, whose claws had gotten Old Bill’s tongue. It wasn’t pleasant but Fluffy survived
The third patient was Lucy’s pet bison, Moby, which was taken to the tent. There Moby had a whale of a time chasing other pets. All except the locals who hung around the tent taking bets on who would be tossed in the air first. They were not chicken hearted, although some left in a hurry.
The fourth patient was a hybrid blend of a wolf and sheep. No details were given about the wolf in the sheep’s clothing creation or what brought it to the doctor. No one wanted to know.
And then, came the retired circus leader with his pet elephant, Melody. No one could ignore that elephant in the tent. By that time the whole town was crowded in the tent watching the bison take on the elephant. How it ended, no one knew since they were all running for their lives.
At the end of the day as Happy Henry closed the door. It had been another rewarding day. T
The alligator didn’t come but would tomorrow. He smiled. Oh how he loved his work.
Susan Kane: More smiles. I love the different directions people have taken this week (and every week).
DeleteHi Susan - this is clever ... and love the thought of this - it could be a great cartoon ... I can hear my baby brother guffawing with laughter (he's now in his 70s) ... cheers Hilary
DeleteSusan: M'has tret més de dos somriures. ;-)
DeleteBona història.
This is delightful!
DeleteI adore this!!!
DeleteSee you later, alligator. ;-)
DeleteYou have me thinking of more!
ReplyDeleteJacqui Murray--Writer-Teacher: And there are a lot more aren't there?
DeleteMuy buenas ideas para excelentes relatos.
ReplyDeleteVENTANA DE FOTO: Thank you.
Delete