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. An additional prompt from Charlotte (MotherOwl) is to include in your take on the prompts.
This
week's prompts are:
- People
- Overjoyed
- Single
- Chore
- Life
And/or
- Birthday
- Plight
- Juggle
- Dog
- Play
Have fun.
“Mom, can I have a DOG for my BIRTHDAY?” asked Johnny.
ReplyDeleteHis mother, a SINGLE mom, replied, “I know you really want one, honey, but it’s too expensive for us. Just the shots and routine maintenance cost four to five hundred dollars a year, and we’d never be able to afford the vet’s bills if the dog got sick.”
Johnny was quite sad, but he understood. He knew that LIFE wasn’t easy with his mom holding down a job and trying to JUGGLE all the payments on one income.
He was very friendly with the neighbours, Bill and Sue, and he had mentioned that he hoped to have a dog for his birthday. Bill and Sue had no children of their own, but they did have a dog, a beautiful and friendly Golden Retriever named Missy . “Listen up,” they said to Johnny when they learned of his PLIGHT, “It is getting to be a CHORE for us to take care of our dog every day, and she needs someone to PLAY with, take her for a walk, things like that. Would you help us take care of Missy? It will be just like having your own dog without the expense. And we would even pay a small allowance for helping out.”
Johnny was OVERJOYED. It wasn’t his own dog, but the next best thing to it. He couldn’t wait to grab the leash and take Missy for a walk.
There are still good PEOPLE in this world.
thecontemplativecat here. Great use of words.
DeleteDavid M. Gascoigne: This is lovely and warms my heart. Thank you.
DeleteI love this! It is the kind of relationship I have with my former neighbors. They get visitation rights after I moved 30 miles away, so every few weeks, they get Charlie for a week to love on and spoil.
DeleteThis is lovely he and Missy get the best of both worlds.
DeleteBrilliant David ... lovely: soft and comfy ... I'll enjoy thinking about this happy togetherness ... well done - cheers Hilary
DeleteDavid M. Gascoigne:
DeleteSort que encara queda gent bona pel món, així podràn gaudir els dos.
Wonderful use of words and so positive!!
DeleteYou give optimism David!!
Lovely story!!
Thank you so much!
Love it! Great use of the words, and a happy ending as well. :-)
DeleteWe need people like this, the helpers, the kind ones. Excellent use of the words.
DeleteWhat a sweet, sweet story. I should strive to be so caring.
DeleteWill work on it through the day as I can.
ReplyDeletethecontemplativecat here. I will work on the challenge and be ready on Friday? IF all goes well.
Deletemessymimi & Susan Kane: I look forward to reading both your stories.
DeleteIt's over here.
Deletemessymimi: Segurament va ser el regal més bonic que havia rebut des de feia molt de temps. Aquest només es fa quan hi ha persones que t'estimen molt.
DeleteUn relat molt tendre i ben fet. ;-)
The single chore in life is for people to strive to be overjoyed.
ReplyDeleteGood!!
DeleteMike: I wish. How I wish.
DeleteI agree 1000%
DeleteI'll settle for regular joy.
DeleteGood thoughts Mike ... life can be a struggle ... cheers Hilary
DeleteNicely done!
DeleteSend those thoughts to the universe please.
DeleteSome people are overjoyed to celebrate summer. Clarissa was not. Hot sultry weather (the dog days) meant a period of stagnation for her. Her energy was in serious decline, and every single chore seemed a mountain too big to climb. This wasn’t life, but an existence.
ReplyDeleteShe thought about it. And thought some more. She could continue to juggle what needed to be done doing essential tasks in the early hours or she could address her plight in a different way.
A very Clarissa way. To hell with it. She was going to play, and turn this dreadful period into a celebration by holding an UnBirthday party. She would serve petal pink rose in chilled glasses and team it with fresh fruit. The non drinkers would have the choice of a similarly coloured mocktail. The venue? The shaded areas in her garden. Guests would be required to wear light and floating clothing and any mention of the weather would have them evicted immediately.
Feeling better immediately she smiled and set about selecting just who she would invite…
That sounds like a wonderful party! An UnBirthday party!
DeleteIt does sound like a fun day and I hope the shade is cool enough.
DeleteHi EC - yes, yes ... the decision of who to invite! Good for Clarissa - cheers Hilary
DeleteClarissa is the kind of person we’d all like to know.
DeleteSue: Sempre pot posar aspersors per mitigar la calor, així ningú no es queixarà. ;-)
DeleteMillor agafar-se els contratemps amb humor o amb una festa.
Ah, now I'm smiling, too! Great use of the words, and a wonderful way to turn a frown upside-down. :-)
DeleteIt's a good way to thumb your nose at the heat, I hope it worked well for her.
DeleteI love to picture the party with flowing clothes and wine!
DeleteThis sounds like a purrfect UNBirthday party. I want to come and I want one of those drinks;) with or without alcohol. Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com
DeleteLooks like another round of fun words to play with. Very cool.
ReplyDeleteThe Happy Whisk: It is fun.
DeleteThis was a tough week of words to pull into the storyline!
ReplyDeleteCindi: You did well. I cannot tell you how much I dislike Alexander. And all the Alexanders of this world.
DeleteEn totes les històries del món hi ha sempre un Alexander. malauradament.
DeleteMolt bé!, seguim llegint.
"rushes in, slams door, forgot it was Wednesday!"
ReplyDeleteI've written down the words now and hopefully will have something up by Friday, though I am seeing the twins tomorrow and having the ultrasound on Friday. There's tonight, I should have time...
River: Good luck on Friday. I am glad that you have a day with the twins tomorrow and hope tonight is enough to create a story.
DeleteHi EC and David - here's mine:
ReplyDeleteBeing in the Pink kept people overjoyed with life … many remained single … they were happy with their plight … living together was ok …
The chores were done by others … even the birthday party they'd planned was down to the pretty juggler …
Honestly how could she let so many dogs loose in the garden amongst the flower beds … to play where he worked so hard.
Still it was a time of peace … they had always had their ups and downs … but she looked so pretty in pink and he'd always supported her.
Cheers were due for the birthday year ahead …
and again from me ... cheers Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: Opposites attract? This is lovely.
DeleteI am still waiting to go to my first party with a pretty juggler. I will pay rapt attention!
DeleteMolt bon relat, Hilary! ;-)
DeleteSupporting each other is very important. Nice story!
DeleteA party with a juggler sounds like an entertaining event!
DeleteThere are so many CHORES to do this week, however in Australia we don’t use chores, it’s an American/Canadian ‘thing’, we usually say ‘job/s’ to do. I’m not OVERJOYED to hear Australians use that word, chores. That is only my opinion as PEOPLE will call it what they wish. A SINGLE person can start a word here in Australia that will stick.
ReplyDeleteThat’s LIFE.
Such a fuss I’ve made about one word!
Margaret D: I know what chores mean but it is a word I don't us. As you say it is jobs here. And this week has had far too many. Well told - and a great use of the prompts.
DeleteWhether chores or jobs they still have to be done.
DeleteMargaret D:
DeleteS'han de mantenir les paraules a cada lloc, per aquí diem "feina". ;-)
Molt bé!
I agree, the word chores is not a fun word. Jobs simply sounds like things to do, but the word chore implies drudgery to me.
DeleteI am American and use the word chores but only for the jobs I find pretty distasteful or overwhelming.
DeleteHi Margaret - chores ... irritating 'things' waiting to be 'done' - yes we use the word here and must have absorbed it from over the pond ... language spreads doesn't it ... you've done brilliantly about that one word - fun ... cheers Hilary
DeleteEl sol queia com a plom sobre la ciutat, una calor opressiva que feia suar a la GENT. Era el meu ANIVERSARI i la SITUACIÓ era estranya, per dir-ho d'una manera suau. SOLTERA, a la meva edat, amb una FEINA que absorbia cada minut del meu dia i amb una sensació creixent que la vida em prenia el pèl. Estava MOLT CONTENTA, aparentment. Almenys això deien les fotos que penjava a les xarxes socials. Somriures amplis, copes de vi, postureos diversos... Però la veritat era una altra des d'aquell incident… les coses ja no eren igual... Tinc un GOS, un pastor alemany anomenat Max. Sempre està JUGANT donant voltes, és com un raig de llum en la meva existència. Però darrerament, ni tan sols ell aconseguia allunyar l'ombra que m'envoltava.
ReplyDeleteTot va començar amb la BONICA FLOR ROSA, la vaig trobar al replà, davant la meva porta. Una rosa perfecta, d'un color intens, sense cap nota ni remitent. Al principi, vaig pensar que era d'un admirador secret. Què bonic! Què romàntic!. Però cada dia, durant una setmana, vaig trobar una altra rosa, exactament igual, en el mateix lloc.
La cinquena rosa va començar a fer-me MALABARS amb el cervell. Vaig començar a sentir-me observada, instal·lades càmeres de seguretat, durant dues nits no vaig veure res. Només el corredor desert, la llum tènue i un silenci angoixant. La setena nit, vaig veure una figura borrosa, distorsionada, com un malson que s'arrossegava des del fons de la pantalla. Es quedà allà, davant la porta, durant uns minuts que em semblaren hores. Després, va deixar una rosa i desaparegué a la foscor.
Vaig avisar a la policia i se'n van riure. "Un admirador pesat", van dir. Però jo sabia que no era així. Hi havia alguna cosa més, una presència, una intenció. Vaig començar a tenir malsons. Somiava amb la figura borrosa, que s'acostava a mi, que em mirava amb ulls buits. Somiava amb un jardí ple de roses roses, on les flors sagnaven en lloc de exhalar perfum.
L'última rosa va aparèixer en el meu aniversari, però aquesta vegada no estava sola. Hi havia una nota, una sola paraula escrita amb tinta vermella, tremolosa: "Vine!". La por em va immobilitzar però la curiositat, una curiositat macabra, em va arrossegar fora de casa. Vaig seguir les indicacions de la nota, que em va portar a un parc abandonat als afores de la ciutat. I allà, a la llum tènue de la lluna, la vaig veure. No era un admirador, era una silueta femenina, vestida de blanc amb una corona de roses roses que li ocultava la cara. Em va somriure i... el somriure revelava fileres i fileres de dents afilades, brillants a la nit, com les d'un depredador a punt d'atacar... Max udolà baix, arrapant-se a les meves cames. Vaig intentar cridar, però la meva veu s'havia evaporat. Tota la VIDA em passava davant dels ulls... Començà a córrer cap a mi, lenta, inexorable, mentre les últimes espurnes de la meva raó, desesperades, encara intentaven entendre el que passava. La FEINA, les decepcions, la solitud… tot desapareixia sota el pes de l'horror.
Finalment, la festa començà.
Aquí vos deixo el meu:
https://elraconetdesalluna.blogspot.com/2025/05/la-flor-rosa.html
Gràcies!
How truly the story begins and develops!!
DeleteI like it!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
Deletesa lluna wrote:
DeleteThe sun was beating down on the city, an oppressive heat that made PEOPLE sweat. It was my BIRTHDAY and the SITUATION was strange, to put it mildly. SINGLE, at my age, with a JOB that absorbed every minute of my day and with a growing feeling that life was getting the better of me. I was VERY HAPPY, apparently. At least that's what the photos I posted on social media said. Wide smiles, glasses of wine, various postures... But the truth was different since that incident... things were no longer the same... I have a DOG, a German shepherd named Max. He is always PLAYING and running around, he is like a ray of light in my existence. But lately, not even he could remove the shadow that surrounded me.
It all started with the BEAUTIFUL PINK FLOWER, I found it on the landing, in front of my door. A perfect rose, of an intense color, without any note or sender. At first, I thought it was from a secret admirer. How beautiful! How romantic!. But every day, for a week, I found another rose, exactly the same, in the same place.
The fifth rose began to JUggle my brain. I began to feel watched, security cameras were installed, for two nights I saw nothing. Just the deserted corridor, the dim light and an anguished silence. On the seventh night, I saw a blurry, distorted, nightmare-like figure crawling from the bottom of the screen. It stood there, in front of the door, for a few minutes that seemed like hours. Then, it left a rose and disappeared into the darkness.
I called the police and they laughed. "A heavy admirer," they said. But I knew it wasn't like that. There was something more, a presence, an intention. I began to have nightmares. I dreamed of the blurry figure, approaching me, looking at me with empty eyes. I dreamed of a garden full of pink roses, where the flowers bled instead of exhaling perfume.
The last rose appeared on my birthday, but this time it was not alone. There was a note, a single word written in red, trembling ink: "Come!". Fear immobilized me but curiosity, a macabre curiosity, dragged me out of the house. I followed the directions on the note, which took me to an abandoned park on the outskirts of the city. And there, in the dim moonlight, I saw her. It was not an admirer, it was a female silhouette, dressed in white with a crown of pink roses that hid her face. She smiled at me and... the smile revealed rows and rows of sharp teeth, shining in the night, like those of a predator about to attack... Max howled low, clinging to my legs. I tried to scream, but my voice had evaporated. My whole LIFE was passing before my eyes... It began to run towards me, slowly, inexorably, while the last sparks of my reason, desperate, still tried to understand what was happening. The WORK, the disappointments, the loneliness... everything disappeared under the weight of the horror.
Finally, the party began.
Here I leave you mine:
https://elraconetdesalluna.blogspot.com/2025/05/la-flor-rosa.html
Thank you!
This is creepy but excellent. Thank you for joining us again.
Thank you so much again, Sue.😘
DeleteMolt agraïda, Katerina.🤗
DeleteThis is very scary and very well written.
DeleteFrightening but a good tale.
DeleteThis was such a fun take on the words ... I'm quite glad it's morning here ... and also why I don't read 'noir' stories - cheers Hilary
DeleteThank you very much girls!
DeleteBeautiful words, I'm thinking of incorporating them into a fairy tale story that has existed for a long time but I want to rewrite it. If I have time, I'll do it and come back to leave a link!!
ReplyDeleteKaterinas Blog: Thank you. I really, really hope you do find time.
DeleteI love to see everyone's creative minds at work. Much enjoyed!
ReplyDeleteDeniseinVA: I am blown away by our creative community, week after week. Thank you so much for regularly reading here.
Deletethecontemplativecat here.
ReplyDeleteJames examined the calendar with joy; in fact, he was overjoyed. My birthday! Tomorrow!
He called for his dog Randy to play with him. It wasn’t easy, as James had to juggle a ball and his walker. It wasn’t a plight anymore---the accident last year required him to juggle events in his life. James had contemplated how his life had changed in those 3 seconds when he fell.
Every single moment of his day had become a chore, something to plan where he put his feet when he struggled with the walker. “Does anyone know how hard it is to be me?”
The next morning when he sat in the kitchen, James heard singing, loud robust singing. He carefully moved around to the window when he saw the most amazing sight
People from town had gathered and prepared a party for James. Gasping, James trembled with joy. His birthday had not been forgotten! He had not been forgotten.
Being remembered is the greatest gift of all.
Susan Kane: I am so glad that James was not only remembered but cherished.
DeleteYou're story left me with a big smile.
DeleteBeing remembered is a glorious gift.
DeleteHi Susan - remembering is so important ... especially as relating to his life really boosts him ... so challenging for those in this situation. What a lovely story - reminding us as well - cheers Hilary
DeleteSusan Kane:
DeleteUna història preciosa, està bé recordar que la gent que ho passa malament, també els hi agrada sentir-se "normal".
Just once, just this one single year, she would be celebrating her birthday free from her usual plight.
ReplyDeleteHer husband, Sis, Pud, and even the dog Carlisle thought it was her chore to juggle all of their physical as well as emotional needs. It did not matter what day of the year it was.
This year she decided she needed something different, and sent her family a beautiful handmade birthday card that read:
To you people whom I adore, including you Carlisle because you are part of the family also.
I am treating myself, for once in my life, to a completely self absorbed day.
There is cereal in the pantry, lunches are in the fridge, there are sandwich fixings for dinner, and a rawhide bone for Carlisle.Don't forget to feed him.
Let the dog out in the back yard before you do anything else.
Sis, walk your brother to his school on your way to yours.
Henry you need to be home by 4, to be there when the kids get in, and to let Carlisle out.
I will be home later tonight, but today is my day to play!
Happy Birthday to Me!
Love you all,
Your overjoyed, tickled pink Mom
p.s. I will have my phone with me but do not call me unless there is an emergency that requires an ambulance.
And with that she left the house before sunrise to face the day with no plans or expectations except for a feeling of adventure and a thermos of coffee.
Anne in the kitchen: I hope that the perfect gift she has given herself becomes the norm each and every year. Love it - and particularly liked that emergencies require an ambulance (and don't relate to being unable to find something).
ReplyDeleteHi Anne in the Kitchen - I sure hope she has her day ... and that things don't develop in a way she doesn't expect ... good for her ...where it'll lead - I'm not sure - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteAnne in the Kitchen:
ReplyDeleteM'ha tret un somriure pensar que no vol fer plans, però les deixa fets per tota la seva família. ;-)
The people were overjoyed by the single performance of the Chore of Life play and gave the performers a standing ovation. Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: This is a lovely take on David's prompts. Thank you.
DeleteIt’s wonderful to see how a simple idea like Words for Wednesday brings people together and sparks creativity week after week. Writing with friends, cheering each other on—that’s how traditions stay alive and meaningful. I’m looking forward to joining in sometime soon. New post: www.melodyjacob.com
ReplyDeleteMELODY JACOB: I do hope you do join us some week. This is definitely a meme where we always welcome new players.
Delete