Nursery Rhyme Redo: Old Mother Hubbard

Old Mother Hubbard

Had ants in her cupboard

So she couldn't take out a loan

But she posed with such flair

That the banker did stare

And tossed her poor dog a bone

I'll bet she didn't have ants like these!

Quote of the Week

Do not go where the path may lead, 

go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

 - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I think this is saying that instead of blindly following the figurative road before us, we should make our own way through life.  We should leave something along the way to show others that the best path may be no path at all.

Meeting the Challenge

Philadelphia Street Art

Today's post is the product of a challenge issued by my friend Nicky at We Work for Cheese.  She is funny, talented, and loves cheese!  So when I read her latest post, "The I’m Hungover And Have To Go To My In-Laws Post" wherein this challenge lies and saw that she had opened it up to whomever wished to participate, I jumped right in.  The challenge is to link to seven posts in the following categories.  I mulled over nearly two years of posts and came up with these to meet the challenge requirements.

1. Most Beautiful Post:  This one is, for obvious reasons, a tie between two posts.  Happy Birthday Mom and Daddy and Me.  My parents have been gone from my life for some years now but I remember and think about them every day.
2. Most Popular Post:  The Peace quote.  This is one from my Quote of the Week series.  A blogger friend had a picture on her blog that included the quote in a photograph she'd taken.  With her permission, I used her picture for my quote and interpretation.  This post was stumbled and I still get traffic from it.
3. Most Controversial Post: Charlie Sheen: Don't Feed the Frenzy.  Tribal Blogs hosted a blog carnival and the hot topic of the day was Charlie Sheen and his impending meltdown.  I chose my angle to express my distaste at how the media exploits and distorts the personal lives of celebrities.
4. Most Helpful Post: Ten Things I Have Learned From Blogging: Anniversary Edition.  In celebration of my one-year anniversary in the blogosphere, I shared with my readers some of what I had learned over the year.
5. Most Surprising Successful Post:  Conversation in the Tomato Patch.  This was written for Magpie Tales based on a picture prompt of...you guessed it...tomatoes.  Some of the other veggies joined in a spirited conversation about their impending harvest.
6. Post that didn't get the attention it deserved:  Five Things You Should Never Pay Full Price For.  I am a bargain hunter, thoroughly trained in the skills of effective shopping by my Mom.  I use store sales and coupons to maximize my savings, and like to share those strategies with others.  Some things are just way over priced, and I show you how to reduce the impact on your wallet.
7. Post I am most proud of:  I Sing No More.  This is another of my Magpie Tales creations.  The prompt that week was a sculpture.  A bust of what looked like a girl singing.  This is probably one of my best pieces of poetry.

Ah, this is the point where I am supposed to nominate a half dozen or so unfortunate lucky bloggers to participate.  I know a lot of people don't like to be singled out, so I'll leave it up to you whether or not you play the game as it makes its way around the blogging world.  My only request is to please include a link back to this post.

A Night to Remember

Image Source:  Magpie Tales

I look at the photo of our smiling faces.  We were happy then.  The three of us were on our way to our high school dance.  None of us had dates, but that didn't stop us.  We were filled with a zest for life, and hope for the future.  There was a big beautiful world out there just waiting for us to make our mark.

It was a warm fall evening, and the dance was the first event of our senior year.  Donna was driving her Dad's car.  She was the first one of us to get a driver's license.  She was a happy-go-lucky, up for anything girl.  Ben was the wild and crazy guy, the risk taker and live wire of our trio.  It fell to me to be the level-head voice of reason.

We arrived at the dance to find the the lights bright, the music dull and the dance floor nearly empty.  We had the car and permission to be out until 11:00, so why waste the night here.  Ben suggested we pick up his pal Rick and go hang out at the park.  Where Ben was a bit crazy, Rick seemed dangerous.  Donna and I were a little leery of him, but agreed because Rick could buy beer.  
We swung high on the swings with beer bottles in hand until we could barely walk.  Then we went down to the lake, toting a flashlight, blankets and the last six-pack.  Let's go swimming Rick said eyeing us girls, and Ben piped up a quick second.  "That's crazy" I said.  "It's dark and besides we don't have swim suits."  Donna, more of a free spirit than me, said "That's OK" and started to remove her skirt and blouse.  "Oh, all right," I agreed, not wanting to be the only stick in the mud.  One by one, we stripped down to our undies and waded into the lake.  The water was colder than we expected, and once in about waist deep, Rick and Ben took great delight in splashing Donna and me until we were all shivering. Thinking maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all, we slogged our way to the shore.

Back on dry land, we wrapped ourselves in the blankets and talked of our dreams and how we would take the world by storm.  "To good friends, good times, and having our whole lives ahead of us" toasted Ben as we finished off the beer.  "This is a night to remember."

Now the moon was high in the sky and it was getting late. "We need to get going," spoke the voice of reason, so we headed back to the car.  Donna was sleepy, so we let Rick drive.  That's where things started to go wrong...fast.  Fast as in Rick was driving like a madman.  How many beers did he have anyway?  The road twisted right then left and back again.  We were approaching the curve too fast.  Rick lost control and yanked the wheel to bring the car back onto the road.  The car crossed back and then off the other side, crashing through a fence and down into a ditch plowing into a big oak tree.  It all happened in a matter of moments but it felt like slow motion. 

Rick was killed instantly when we hit the tree.  Donna died later from her injuries.  Ben and I were pinned in the back seat for what seemed like hours until we were found.  A passing driver saw the tail lights and went to call for help.

Ben walks with a limp, his right leg twisted as a result of being awkwardly pinned for so long.  I was the only one who escaped serious injury.  I was still wrapped in my blanket when I was removed from the car.  Ben could have had surgery to repair his damaged leg, but he chose to live with the pain and disfigurement as a reminder of that night, and his decision to include Rick in our plans.  The accident wasn't his fault, but he carries the guilt of their deaths with him every single day.

Yes, it was indeed a night to remember.

Written for Magpie Tales #79

For more fiction, please join me tomorrow at Sara Healy's a sharing connection where I will be guest posting. 

Quote of the Week

 
The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection. - George Orwell


It seems that today, as a society, we are always striving for perfection.  To be good is not good enough, to be better still falls short, and only by achieving perfection, can one truly be satisfied.  The problem with this is that true perfection does not exist in human nature; there is always another level to be reached.  While putting your all into seeking that elusive state of perfection, you neglect to pat yourself on the back for a job well done, and say "That's good enough".

Have I Got Holes in my Head?

Don't answer that!

How come it is when you wait until you have time to sit and write down all the thoughts rolling around in your head, they seem to have rolled right out.  It’s like my head has holes in it, and my thoughts and ideas just plop right through the holes.  That’s it – my head is a sieve.  Nope, that can’t be it – then everything would fall out.  I must have a flashing sign inside my head.  One that says “All good ideas must exit here”.  

It’s a one way door like a turn style.  Oops, no can back up.  Sorry, let’s keep it moving.  Don’t want to create a bottle neck.

Then the lights are out and the door is locked.  A couple of the bolder ones pound on the door but the guard just yells 

“Go Away – She’s done thinking for today."

Quote of the Week

Image Source: Wikipedia

We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.

 - Anais Nin


Who we are as individuals influences everything around us, including what we see.  Two people may see the same picture, building or other object and offer completely different opinions.  Using the cliche about seeing the glass half full or half empty, it is easy to see how different personalities would have different views.

Nursery Rhyme Redo: Humpty Dumpty

Image source:  merlinprincesse's photostream

Humpty Dumpty was fat and grumpy
And off of the wall he fell
He landed astride a nobleman's horse
Who tossed him into the well

It's Time to Go

Summer Evening, Edward Hopper, 1947

It was a hot summer night following the end of World War II.  A woman's voice could be heard above the call of the frogs and crickets.  "Charlie, you can't leave, it would break mama's heart.  She would be lost without you with Daddy gone."

Lauren, Charlie's sister, was trying to dissuade him from enlisting in the Army on his 18th birthday.  

"The war's over," Charlie explained.  "This is my chance to see the world, learn a trade, and make a life for myself.  Daddy would be proud."

"Daddy died in the war.  You think he'd want you running off and leaving mama and me.  To risk ending up like he did?"  Lauren was not only scared for her brother, she was angry.  Angry that he could just up and leave them.  It wasn't mama's heart that would break as much as her own.  Not only was he her brother, he was her twin and her best friend.  Losing him would be like losing half of herself.

Reading her thoughts, as he did so often, he said quietly, "Don't worry, you won't lose me.  I'll be safe.  Daddy will be watching over me.  It's time for me to go."

Written for Magpie Tales #77

Quote of the Week

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

-Albert Camus

 True friendship is not about following or leading the other, it is about sharing the path we are on together.

Best Friends

Frank and Neil toss their cans into the barrel and turn in.  Tomorrow's a big day - both are entered in a bass fishing tournament.

Best of friends, each secretly hopes to take the prize.  Come morning, however, Neil's boat stalls.  Rules state one contestant per boat.  Frank offers Neil his boat.  Thanks...but I can't.

Written for Friday Flash 55.

Evening Glory

Tis calm and serene

Water caressing the shore

As the evening fades

Quote of the Week

A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds, and mopes; a philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn't see the clouds at all - he's walking on them.  -Leonard Louis Levinson

This is an interesting take on life and how it is viewed from three perspectives, by using clouds as the canvas.  For the pessimist, life is stormy and uncertain.  The philosopher always sees both sides, so the dark clouds on the horizon are balanced by life's pleasures.  The optimist, however, sees only the brilliant blue sky as the clouds of life are beneath his feet, and every day is like a perfect summer afternoon.