Friday, March 30, 2012

Weekly Wordzzle Challenge # 197/Daily Reminder 630



We are up to installment 37th of Paragon of Virtue, Fred Johnson's adventure in the Kingdom of Sunday, the story that keeps on going and going and going.

Will probably post mine tomorrow again, but Mr. Linky and the new words are available just in case anybody besides me joins in.


Six o'clock on Saturday:  Well, I have finally come up with something for today's chapter. Creeping towards the finish of Fred Johnson's story painful strained use of the words sentence by painful strained use of the words sentence. Whew.  I think today's Wordzzles are also going to be the Daily Reminder since I never wrote one. It's called cheating. 



Words for this week's 10-word challengebar, signature, mandate, penalty, power, issue, choice, glowing, attention, sweeping   And for the mini: wake, now, smell, source, events




My mega: 


Meanwhile, outside the now glowing entrance to the cave, the young dragon Snack again used his skill to look into the artist's mind, allowing them all to learn as much as possible about the cave they were about to enter. "Stay alert my friends, the old wizard said to all gathered. "Pay attention to detail. Once we enter, use all your senses. Be aware of smells, shadows, sounds. And don't rush into anything. The choices we make here carry potential life and death penalties, not just for us, but for Lady Purist. Malevolent booby traps were Quillard Quake's signature enchantments. Quake was a wizard with no conscience and sweeping powers. We cannot underestimate him." After the wizard had finished speaking, Fred approached him and quietly whispered,  "In the wake of recent events, it is a source of some concern to me that perhaps it would be wiser to mandate that only one or two - possibly three - of us to enter the cave now and that barring the arising of some new issue, the dragons and others guide us from outside."  In the end they agreed that the Wizard, the Paragon and Purpose Perfidy would enter the cave while the others remained on alert outside. The dragons were clearly disappointed by this decision but were eventually persuaded of that their service outside was of of more value than their presence inside and that because of their mind-reading gift they would be virtually present in any case by seeing through the eyes of the others.




My mini: 


"We must proceed with great caution." the wizard said to his companions. "I put nothing past Quake or the Count's father. There's no knowing what monster we might wake, what traps have been laid. I have wrapped each of us in protective spells and we will each wear one of these talismans which I have created to signal 
the presence of Quakes most preferred types of magical events and mechanisms. Be particularly alert for the smell of either lilacs or roses as both are favorite source components in his darkest spells, luring his victims with aromas associated with peace and beauty. He was a truly cruel man. Hopefully we are prepared for all contingencies now. I will be glad when this is behind us and hope never to face such an enemy again.






The 10-word: mandate 


As they had agreed, with a few sweeping strokes of his brush, the painter widened the cave's entrance so that all three could enter side by side. Almost immediately, Perfidy called their attention to a glowing bar of embedded into the wall off to their left. "I never painted that." he whispered. The old wizard nodded. "The power issuing from it is strong and carries Quake's signature. I believe he named this particular spell the Penalty Panel....An odd choice for a cave, though. Before I disarm it, I wonder what it is intended to distract us from... Paragon... do you see anything unusual? Anything that doesn't feel right?" "I'm not sure why," the Paragon responded, "but I have an odd feeling about that stone there." he replied. "Good eye, my boy, "the wizard replied."I would have missed it. Have to give Quake credit for genius. Who would have thought to marry a those two spells.. Mangrove Mandate and the Penalty Panel... and how to disarm them... Nobody move.... Paraphenalia, "he called mentally to the senior dragon outside, "any thoughts?" 



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Words for next week's 10-word challenge:  refused, salad, crackers, fancy stuff, tail, struggle, pierce, ballad, apples, dirt  


And for the mini: I can't wait, uncomfortable, clouds, fears, ginger


Thanks you for playing.  Newcomers can check here for some guidelines to make the game more fun. There are no rules, just some general guidelines and tricks.



Daily Reminder # 629

Well, I've switched to daytime posting again at least the moment. Unfortunately, I do better in the evening.  Think I'm going to cheat on typed gratitude again today and see if I can find a couple of inspiring videos to post. 







WISHING YOU DREAMS AND MAGIC 
AND HOPES FULFILLED

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Daily Reminder # 628

Posting late again.  Had a reiki emergency last night and kind of forgot about posting.  Just going to put a couple of YouTube offerings.  This first one has been in my head all morning and much of yesterday for some reason. I happen to really like the song but I always have a two-fold reaction to it. It reminds me how lucky I am and also brings up a little voice in my head that says, but I AM lonely. Anyway, hope you enjoy it.





And here another song that is particularly relevant at present, it seems.





Think I'll skip gratitude and just post this this morning.


WISHING YOU PEACE
AND GOOD COMPANY

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Daily Reminder # 627

Bird watching is BORING.... 
Winter is back for a couple of days, though I think it is supposed to warm up a bit tomorrow. I hope so.  Going to post a Neale Donald Walsch message tonight because it's jut one of those things that makes you think and is a really good one for me to look at. I get very frustrated because much as I don't want her to me, much of my mother is internalized in me. She picks on me a lot but also shows up with the cats. I spend a lot of time apologizing to them. I often find myself scolding them when they aren't doing anything wrong, but have been playing and made some noise I didn't expect or recognize. Then I have to apologize and say "ignore me, you weren't doing anything wrong."  And sometimes when Angel is being really bratty, I get angrier than I have any reason to get. Usually she's doing something that makes me anxious for her well (playing with electric wires which she never did as a kitten but has developed a fondness for of late). Anyway, I'm not sure what any of that has to do with what I'm about to post, except that many things have more to do with our perception of them than with reality.







On this day of your life, dear friend, 
I believe God wants you to know...
..that there is something 'wrong' with everything.

No matter what you are looking at, you can find 
something wrong with it, something imperfect, 
something that is not okay with you. Don't worry, 
if you look hard enough you'll find it.

There is also something 'right' with everything. 
No matter what you are looking at, you can 
find something right with it, something perfect.

There remains, then, only one question: What are 
you going to look at? What are you choosing to notice? 
What is your perspective?  (I'll bet you already 
know what God's perspective is...)

Love, Your Friend.... 
neale



Speaking of perspective... Seems it's easier to get a
picture of Tara's reflection, than of Tara herself.
Some things I'm grateful for today: (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an embrace of allowing myself to wish for things and an effort to inspire generosity in the Creative Forces of the Universe so that they will provide me with everything I want and more.)

  • Angel and Tara Grace
  • my furnace
  • my warm robes
  • my heavy cape
  • my little wool hat
  • my little coffee maker
  • coffee and Int'l Delight
  • my computer
  • the internet
  • email
  • electricity
  • my Tibetan salt lamps
  • my rock collection
  • tingshas
  • music
  • Pandora radio
  • the joy of listening
  • the joy of singing
  • the human voice
  • my awesome Bose speakers
  • the boom box by my bed
  • a paying reiki client  (prayers for sweet Itsabella kitty would be welcomed)
  • reiki
  • angels
  • miracles
  • Dennis Puffett
  • Healing with the Masters
  • Care2.com
  • thehungersite.com
  • my TV
  • the remote control
  • the mute button
  • the SciFi channel
  • Commedy Central
  • Jon Stewart
  • Stephen Colbert
  • PBS
  • passion fruit sherbert
  • sight
  • taste
  • touch
  • smell
  • hearing
  • Miracle Foot Repair Cream
  • my grabber
  • my chair/walker
  • my cane
  • that my legs still wobble me from room to room with help
  • my kitchen
  • my microwave
  • cheese
  • mashed potatoes
  • butter
  • the view from my front window
  • my nieces, my nephew and their families
  • that they are happy, healthy and successful
  • that they love me as I love them
  • my great nephew Trevor whose birthday is March 28th
  • friends
  • neighbors
  • reiki teddy bears
  • a clothes dryer
  • a sun room on the back of the house
  • blinds for the front window
  • a ceiling fan in the bedroom
  • a mattress for the back bedroom
  • Nintendo
  • new curtains
  • zero balance on my credit cards
  • lower interest
  • paying reiki clients
  • a paid off mortgage
  • more flowers/landscaping for the back yard
  • winning lottery numbers
  • $5,000/week for life from PCH or a million a year for life
  • a truckload of money (big bills)
  • a reading and healing with Nancy DuTertre
  • freshly painted living and bedroom walls
  • company/companionship
  • a party/gathering for my 65th birthday in July
  • a whistling vessel gathering
  • a new (Dutch) front door
  • seeing the red list turn to black
  • resilience
  • imagination
  • hope
  • words
  • poetry
  • my camera
  • reflections
  • the ability to read and write
  • the ability to type
  • the smell of white sage
  • matches
  • paper towels
  • Sam-e
  • Omega-3
  • IP-6
  • Vitamin D-3
  • indoor plumbing
  • my electric toothbrush
  • toothpaste
  • Listerine
  • Dr. Bronner soaps
  • Dr. Ihhiru soaps
  • my mattress
  • blankets
  • Affordable Health Care (may the Supreme Court uphold it)
  • daffodils
  • Barack Obama
  • the right to vote
  • that it's Spring even though it's cold
  • my whistling vessels
  • things I've forgotten to mention
  • Poldark (still enjoying rewatching the series)
  • Netflix
  • movies
  • beauty
  • hope
  • kitty hugs and head butts
  • possibilities
  • love
  • laughter
  • life

WISHING YOU A DAY OF MIRACLES
AND POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS



Monday, March 26, 2012

Daily Reminder # 626



It has turned back into winter here.  Had to turn the heat back on this afternoon and I'm back to shivering in my shoes. Robins did visit the back yard and a couple of juncos, which was nice.  Other than that, I have had better days. A while back after putting it off for about 4 or 5 months, I sent in an application to be exempted from paying all or some of the $99 I pay towards Medicare Part B. Well last week I got a form back from Social Services saying that I have to send them my Birth Certificate and may Social Security card. This has created inner and outer havoc. First off, I always get anxious when bureaucrats ask me for things they have no reason to need. After all, I am legally disabled and already on Medicare, which means that the government has already SEEN my birth certificate. The reason they want my Social Security card (which they tell you not to use for identification) is to find out how long I have been on SSD. Shouldn't that be in their records? So anyway, I had until today to get this unnecessary stuff to them and despite spending hours this weekend trying to find it, was not able to do so. They have graciously offered me an extension (whoopee!) for this waste of both my and their time, but I am left now with my shame and anxiety about how disorganized everything is and why CAN'T I find the damned birth certificate and what a bad, crappy person I am for not knowing where it is and for having all my paper work in assorted shopping bags with no organization whatsoever and what this will do to my niece when I die and she inherits the house and has to sort through it. Yes. This is the way my mind works.  So, anyway, I am rally cranky and I have a headache and am really irritated that I have to search for the stupid birth certificate and then ashamed that I'm pissed off about it since I am lucky enough to have disability and now I'm asking for something more and then complaining about having to jump through hoops to get it. Agggh.  And it's cold.  How's that for a rant? 




On a happier note, my little reiki client is doing fairly well and there was some surprising happy  news from the government giving me some extra HEAP and - divine intervention, maybe - Dr. Jim called just after I got off the phone with Rhonda from Social Services and talked me down from the top of the cliff.  Also in my searching this weekend I found the nice wool hat my niece Cindy crocheted for me a few years ago and it is very comfortably keeping me from freezing to death this evening.  In any case, I'm trying to let go of my shame and my angst and remember gratitude and the old Thank You for Everything Mantra that has served me so well. Trying to remember to focus on the positive and all that stuff.  My first paragraph gives a hint as to how successful I have been at that, but at least I'm making an effort. Looking for the beauty. 






Some things I'm grateful for today:

  • Angel and Tara Grace
  • my home
  • thermal windows and thermal curtains
  • Dr. Jim! Dr. Jim! Dr. Jim!
  • the telephone
  • blankets
  • my furnace
  • extra HEAP
  • my warm robes
  • my heavy cape
  • my little hat that Cindy made for me
  • chocolate soy silk
  • my kitchen
  • my oven
  • electricity
  • indoor plumbing
  • water
  • PBS
  • Netflix 
  • the old Poldark Series (very romantic)
  • my cane
  • my chair/walker
  • that my legs still wobble me from room to room with help
  • Pandora radio
  • music
  • the joy of listening
  • the joy of singing
  • my awesome Bose speakers that my niece Diana gave me for Christmas
  • the boom box by my bed
  • the human voice
  • the ability to read and write
  • the ability to type
  • my computer
  • the internet
  • email
  • Google
  • YouTube
  • computer games
  • my TV
  • Comedy Central
  • Stewart and Colbert are back!
  • tingshas
  • my Tibetan salt lamps
  • my rock collection
  • beauty
  • the colors of the rainbow
  • food in my refrigerator
  • the smell of white sage
  • sight
  • hearing
  • taste
  • touch
  • smell
  • a clothes dryer
  • a new (Dutch) front door
  • winning lottery numbers
  • $5,000/week for life from PCH or a million a year
  • a truckload of money (big bills)
  • company/a party for my 65th birthday
  • a whistle blow gathering
  • Nintendo
  • company/companionship
  • paying reiki clients
  • a paid off mortgage
  • zero balance on my credit cards
  • lower interest rates
  • a reading and healing with Nancy DuTertre
  • more flowers/landscaping for my back yard
  • a sun room on the back of the house
  • freshly painted walls in my living and bedrooms
  • a ceiling fan in the bedroom
  • new curtains
  • blinds for the front window
  • a mattress for the back bedroom
  • seeing the red list turn to black
  • reiki
  • angels
  • miracles
  • reiki teddy bears
  • a paying reiki client
  • Dennis Puffett
  • Healing with the Masters
  • my nieces, my nephew and their families
  • that they are happy, healthy and successful
  • that they love me as I love them
  • email
  • friends
  • neighbors
  • sleeping kitties
  • my camera
  • my back yard
  • birds and flowers
  • Sam-e
  • Omega-3
  • IP-7
  • Vitamin D-3
  • coconut oil
  • Miracle Foot Repair Cream
  • paper towels
  • matches
  • wind chimes (though not so much the wind that makes them sound)
  • words
  • poetry
  • ideas
  • literature
  • hope
  • resilience
  • determination
  • inspiration
  • love
  • laughter
  • life

WISHING YOU PEACE 
AND GOOD PROGRESS IN ALL THINGS

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Daily Reminder # 625


Well, I finally finished wordzzles this afternoon, but my offerings were pretty pathetic. Birds, flowers and trees are all full of Spring, but the temperature has regressed considerably and it was cold and damp and very un-Spring-like. A quiet day otherwise. My back door has two loyal followers. One sparrow and one chipmunk who is destined to become very fat if he keeps it up. The verdict on healthy cereal is in. Much to my amazement critters apparently had the same reaction to it that I did. Such is life.


I think I had some other idea in mind to share but I have forgotten what it is. Am travelling back in time and re-watching the Poldark series. Still wonderful after all these years.





Some things I'm grateful for today: (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an embrace of abundance and possibility and an effort to persuade the Creative Forces of the Universe to lavish cash and other treasures on me and those I love.)
  • Angel and Tara Grace
  • my home
  • my little coffee maker
  • coffee and Int'l Delight
  • granola bars
  • eggs
  • cheese
  • water
  • Pandora radio
  • music
  • the joy of listening
  • the joy of singing
  • my wonderful Bose speakers
  • the boom box by my bed
  • my computer
  • the internet
  • Healing with the Masters
  • computer games
  • email
  • my nieces, my nephew and their families
  • that they are happy, healthy and successful
  • that they seem to love me as I love them
  • friends
  • my camera
  • the back door
  • greedy chipmunks
  • sparrows
  • bird seed
  • my back porch
  • forsythia
  • my flowering quince
  • Spring in spite of chilly air
  • my TV
  • the remote control
  • the mute button
  • the Sci-Fi Channel
  • PBS
  • Fareed Zakaria
  • Netflix
  • the view from my front window
  • turkey vultures in flight
  • electricity
  • my Tibetan salt lamps
  • my rock collection
  • my chair/walker
  • my cane
  • that my legs still wobble me from room to room
  • reiki
  • miracles
  • Angels
  • the rare paying reiki client 
  • Itsabella 
  • my grabber
  • a clothes dryer
  • a new (Dutch) front door
  • new curtains
  • blinds for the front window
  • a mattress for the back bedroom
  • a party/company for my 65th birthday in July
  • a reading and healing with Nancy DuTertre
  • more flowers/landscaping for my back yard
  • a sun room on the back of the house
  • freshly painted living and bedroom walls
  • a truckload of money (big bills)
  • winning lottery numbers
  • $5,000/week for life from PCH or a million/year for life
  • a paid off mortgage
  • zero balance on my credit cards
  • lower interest rates
  • Nintendo
  • a ceiling fan in the bedroom
  • paying reiki clients
  • company/companionship
  • a whistling vessel "blow"
  • seeing the red list turn to black
  • Dennis Puffett
  • my mattress
  • my warm cape
  • Miracle Foot Repair Cream
  • Crocs
  • indoor plumbing
  • the smell of white sage
  • sight
  • taste
  • touch
  • smell
  • hearing
  • my electric toothbrush
  • toothpaste
  • Listerine
  • Dr. Bronner soaps
  • Dr. Ihhiru probiotic soap
  • Sam-e
  • Omega-3
  • IP-6
  • Vitamin D-3
  • the ability to read and write
  • the ability to type
  • the capacity to think
  • resilience
  • hope
  • words
  • wordzzles - finished at last
  • ideas
  • imagination
  • poetry
  • literature
  • possibilities
  • love
  • laughter
  • life
MAY YOUR DAY BE FILLED WITH WONDERS!

Late Daily Reminder # 624

Completely forgot to do the reminder last night. But I have a good excuse. Had a wonderful 3 hour phone conversation with a friend whom I have not gotten to talk to in forever and then had to say goodbye to the visiting Archangels and then do some reiki on a kitty up in Maine. And I just kind of forgot about the blog in the midst of all that.  It was so good to talk with my friend. I have missed her terribly and it was fun to talk about politics and spirituality and psychology and all the things that interest me.  And good to hear that after much struggle, things in her life are shifting for the better. Yippee!  






Even though I was a dreadful hostess to the Visiting Archangels, it was nice having them here. Tara seemed to really delight in their presence. For me, oddly, I felt less aware of their presence than I feel keenly aware that they are no longer here. As if to mark the occasion, I went into my bathroom last night and found a horde of little drain flies had emerged. Yuck. 





Anyway more pictures from the other day and some gratitude.  Hopefully, my brain will get going and I can do my now very late wordzzles. 



Some things I'm grateful for today: (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an effort to embrace abundance and possibilities and invite the Creative Forces of the Universe to come out and play with me ... and to give me lots of cool stuff. An effort to persuade my inner demons that it's not just OK for me to want things, its good and that I am as worthy as anyone to partake of the abundance of life.)
  • Angel and Tara Grace
  • my home
  • my little coffee maker
  • coffee and Int'l Delight
  • granola bars
  • water
  • the telephone
  • long talks with a good friend
  • good news
  • the kindness of Archangels
  • Pandora radio
  • music
  • the joy of listening
  • the joy of singing
  • my wonderful Bose speakers
  • the boom box by my bed
  • my computer
  • the internet
  • Healing with the Masters
  • computer games
  • email
  • my nieces, my nephew and their families
  • that they are happy, healthy and successful
  • that they seem to love me as I love them
  • friends
  • my TV
  • the remote control
  • the mute button
  • the Sci-Fi Channel
  • PBS
  • Fareed Zakaria
  • Netflix
  • my back door
  • the view from my front window
  • electricity
  • my Tibetan salt lamps
  • my rock collection
  • my chair/walker
  • my cane
  • that my legs still wobble me from room to room
  • reiki
  • miracles
  • Angels
  • the rare paying reiki client 
  • Itsabella 
  • my grabber
  • a clothes dryer
  • a new (Dutch) front door
  • new curtains
  • blinds for the front window
  • a mattress for the back bedroom
  • a party/company for my 65th birthday in July
  • a reading and healing with Nancy DuTertre
  • more flowers/landscaping for my back yard
  • a sun room on the back of the house
  • freshly painted living and bedroom walls
  • a truckload of money (big bills)
  • winning lottery numbers
  • $5,000/week for life from PCH or a million/year for life
  • a paid off mortgage
  • zero balance on my credit cards
  • lower interest rates
  • Nintendo
  • a ceiling fan in the bedroom
  • paying reiki clients
  • company/companionship
  • a whistling vessel "blow"
  • seeing the red list turn to black
  • Dennis Puffett
  • my mattress
  • Miracle Foot Repair Cream
  • Crocs
  • indoor plumbing
  • the smell of white sage
  • sight
  • taste
  • touch
  • smell
  • hearing
  • my electric toothbrush
  • toothpaste
  • Listerine
  • Dr. Bronner soaps
  • Dr. Ihhiru probiotic soap
  • Sam-e
  • Omega-3
  • IP-6
  • Vitamin D-3
  • the ability to read and write
  • the ability to type
  • the capacity to think
  • resilience
  • hope
  • words
  • wordzzles even though I haven't done mine
  • ideas
  • imagination
  • poetry
  • literature
  • eye drops
  • my flowering quince
  • forsythia
  • SPRING (even if it's gray and chilly today)
  • possibilities
  • love
  • laughter
  • life
WISHING YOU A SPLENDID DAY!

Friday, March 23, 2012

Daily Reminder # 623



It was not as nice a day as yesterday - damp and grey skies - but still, it was a good day at the back door. Turns out birds and chipmunks don't care much for nutritious cereal, but they ate all the bird seed. Chipmunk is destined to be very fat if I keep putting stuff out because he just vacuums it up full time with only very short breaks. Still, I enjoyed watching him and my little sparrow friend... and taking lots of pictures of them. I think I'm going to just leave tonight's post at that because I have a midnight reiki session to do and not much inspiration to say anything else. There's another good Neale Donald Walsh message, but I think I'll save it for another day and just put up a bunch of photos... and I do mean a bunch.
















Some things I'm grateful for today: (Items in red are pre-gratitude, an effort to embrace abundance and possibilities and invite the Creative Forces of the Universe to come out and play with me ... and to give me lots of cool stuff.)

  • Angel and Tara Grace
  • my home
  • open windows and mild weather
  • birds and budding flowers
  • chipmunks and squirrels
  • my little coffee maker
  • coffee and Int'l Delight
  • water
  • Pandora radio
  • music
  • the joy of listening
  • the joy of singing
  • my wonderful Bose speakers
  • the boom box by my bed
  • my computer
  • the internet
  • computer games
  • email
  • my nieces, my nephew and their families
  • that they are happy, healthy and successful
  • that they seem to love me as I love them
  • friends
  • my TV
  • the remote control
  • the mute button
  • the Sci-Fi Channel
  • PBS
  • Netflix
  • my back door
  • the view from my front window
  • electricity
  • my Tibetan salt lamps
  • my rock collection
  • my chair/walker
  • my cane
  • that my legs still wobble me from room to room
  • reiki
  • miracles
  • Angels
  • visiting Archangels
  • the rare paying reiki client 
  • Itsabella (see item above) kitty is doing well
  • my grabber
  • a clothes dryer
  • a new (Dutch) front door
  • new curtains
  • blinds for the front window
  • a mattress for the back bedroom
  • a party/company for my 65th birthday in July
  • a reading and healing with Nancy DuTertre
  • more flowers/landscaping for my back yard
  • a sun room on the back of the house
  • freshly painted living and bedroom walls
  • a truckload of money (big bills)
  • winning lottery numbers
  • $5,000/week for life from PCH or a million/year for life
  • a paid off mortgage
  • zero balance on my credit cards
  • lower interest rates
  • Nintendo
  • a ceiling fan in the bedroom
  • paying reiki clients
  • company/companionship
  • a whistling vessel "blow"
  • seeing the red list turn to black
  • Dennis Puffett
  • Healing with the Masters
  • my mattress
  • Miracle Foot Repair Cream
  • indoor plumbing
  • my electric toothbrush
  • toothpaste
  • Listerine
  • Dr. Bronner soaps
  • Dr. Ihhiru probiotic soap
  • Sam-e
  • Omega-3
  • IP-6
  • Vitamin D-3
  • the ability to read and write
  • the ability to type
  • the capacity to think
  • resilience
  • hope
  • words
  • wordzzles even though I haven't done mine
  • ideas
  • imagination
  • poetry
  • literature
  • eye drops
  • my flowering quince
  • daffodils
  • possibilities
  • love
  • laughter
  • life
MAY YOU HAVE A GLORIOUS GOOD DAY

Weekly Wordzzle Challenge # 196





We are up to installment 36th of Paragon of Virtue, Fred Johnson's adventure in the Kingdom of Sunday. I never imagined it would continue on for such a long run.  I have enjoyed the process but am also kind of anxious to have it done now, I think.

Going to post mine tomorrow, but Mr. Linky and the new words are available in case I'm not the Lone Wordzzler again this week. I was hoping I could finish Fred Johnson's story off this week, but I don't think the words are going to allow it. Guess I'll find out when I write my exercises. Hmmm...

5:00 Saturday update:  I got nothing at the moment beyond a blank stare and an even blanker imagination. Spent most of the day searching for my birth certificate (unsuccessfully) which may be part of why my brain is done in for creative writing. Very frustrated about the birth certificate and the absence of even the germ of an idea for how to use these words. I will be back. Later tonight or maybe not until tomorrow. My apologies. Of course the fact that I'm the only person playing these days makes it easier to be the kind of "hostess" who posts late. Sigh. 


4:30 Sunday update:  Finished at last. Not happy, but this is the best I'm going to be able to come up with using these words. 




Words for this week's 10-word challengedriving, covet, polar bears, stuffy nose, confession, fingers, text, shower, canvas, aroma    And for the mini: birch tree, ravens, rocks, skin, zipper




My mega:


Back at the toy shop, while Melody Stripes and her husband quietly went about the business of sorting through their inventory and preparing to reopen their store, the newly anointed Brave Heart had continued to shower Bubbles and McFlash with a long litany of confessions, counting his sins off on his fingers with a relentless, obsessive guilt. "Count Brave Heart," Bubbles finally spoke up, "I do not wish to be rude, but you are driving me crazy. You have been forgiven - by the Bird of Paradise, by the Paragon, by me and all the others - yet rather than receive the gift of that forgiveness you are clinging to the text of who you were, like a child with a stuffy nose who refuses medicine and tissue and continues to cry about not being able to breathe. To covet punishment is to reject the gift you have been given and dishonors those of us who have put away our own pain. I beg you, please shed the skin of your former self and lay it to rest. You can not undo the past by painting on the same old canvas. As a mother to be, I will tell you that I can not believe your mother - should she return to find wound in a self-made shroud of guilt - will not have her heart break. Has she not suffered enough? If you can not put your guilt aside for yourself, put it aside out of love for her and the rest of us. It is your heart which honors us, not your shame."  Blushing, the Count replied to her with a tear in his eye. "Thank you for speaking Truth to me. You are right. I will - as the Paragon would say in one of those odd expressions of his, "put a zipper on it," and try to make better use of the gift that has been given to me." They were interrupted by McFlash who said suddenly, "Is it my imagination or is there an amazing aroma coming out of the Paragon's magic basket? Do you think we should look inside?" "I don't think the Paragon would object,"  Bubbles replied and opening the lid of the basket found three items. First was a note from Confetti, which said, "The Bird of Paradise has asked me to create the following delicacy - I call it Polar Bears' Dream - to help the Count release his past and to assist each of those present to open your hearts and minds to possible new visions for the future.. Also enclosed is a small volume called The Birch Tree, the Ravens and the Rock." It is a favorite childhood story and I thought it might perhaps help you to pass the time as you await the rescue of Lady Purist.


My mini: 

As the three happily tucked into Confetti's latest culinary masterpiece, Bubbles opened up the small book and began to read. "Once upon a time, in a kingdom known as Wishes Come True, there lived a flock of Ravens. The youngest of these Ravens had been given the name Zipper because of an intense curiosity which led him to zip from place to place and subject to subject, always asking questions and wondering about this and that and the other. Some of the more thin-skinned among the elders found some of his innocent questions offensive and the young Raven began to be sunned some in the community.  His parents, who were members of the Birch Tree Clan, were deeply troubled by this and eventually sought counsel about how to "cure" their son from the Wizard of the Rock...."  "Cure him?" McFlash interrupted. He sounds wonderful."  "Shhh..." Bubbles replied. "We must keep reading and find out what happens..."




My 10-word: 


"Don't forget to try your Polar Bear's Dream," the Count whispered to her, "It may be one of Confetti's most magnificent creations ever. I find I am feeling more hopeful already after just one or two spoonfuls. It is as though whatever force was driving me to covet punishment and confession has been showered with so much love and comfort that it's stuffy nose - to use your imagery - has been unplugged and it has not just breathed in aroma of hope and redemption but been transformed by it. I don't know quite how to explain it except to say that it is beyond wonderful. I feel am literally a new man, fingers to toes, head to foot, heart and soul. The canvas has been cleaned and the future awaits to be lived, the text of my life to be written"  Bubbles giggled. "Why Count, it has turned you into a poet. That alone tells me I must taste it."  "And then the rest of the story, please," McFlash chimed in. He was joined by Melody Stripes, who added. "I want to find out the Wizard advises. I hope he will be wise... We must add this book to our inventory darling,"  she added smiling at her husband.  For her part, Bubbles, tasted a few spoonfuls of Polar Bear's Dream and then picked up the book and continued reading to the a radiant and entranced audience.




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Words for next week's 10-word challenge:  bar, signature, mandate, penalty, power, issue, choice, glowing, attention, sweeping   And for the mini: wake, now, smell, source, events

Thanks you for playing.  Newcomers can check here for some guidelines to make the game more fun. There are no rules, just some general guidelines and tricks.