Designer Blues

“Well this just sucks,” Amy complained bitterly to her friend, Sharon, as they tried on designer jeans.  She had been a six forever, and now she was squeezing into a size ten.  On her wedding day everyone raved about how she looked in that figure-hugging gown of satin and lace.  Ever since her divorce, however, things went downhill while her weight crept upward.

“Cheer up” replied Sharon, “you still look great.  I saw that TDH checking you out at the club last week.”  TDH in their code stood for tall, dark and handsome, or in today’s lingo, a "hot guy".

“Yeah, I camouflage it very well," she said wryly.  "Some days I convince myself it’s not so bad, and other days I rationalize that I’m not the only one whose waistline has expanded or have parts that jiggle that were never meant to.”

“C’mon, let’s get a smoothie” Sharon suggested, hoping to take her friend’s mind off her woes.  “We’ll get one of those healthified ones made with fat-free frozen yogurt and skim milk.”

“All right,” Amy agreed.  “I haven’t had lunch yet anyway.  Hey, maybe I’ll renew my membership at the gym.  I sure won’t change my life sitting on the couch watching Law and Order reruns.”

“Atta girl!  I may just join you.  What have I got to lose?”

Ann sighed.  “In my case, about twenty pounds!”

Two weeks later Amy and Sharon met at the gym after work.  They each had set up a workout schedule, and Sharon was excited to see her body changing.  “I’ve already lost an inch around my waist” she exclaimed.  “That’s awesome!”

“I’m glad one of us is seeing some results,” Amy said glumly.  “I’ve lost about five pounds, but apparently in all the wrong places, if you know what I mean.  I might have to look into one of those low-cost tummy tucks.  If I lose weight, but still have lumpy, bumpy fat bulging out, what’s the point.  Covering up only works so long, you know?  Soon it will be time for swim suits.  Arrrrgggghhhh!

“Well, there’s that,” responded Sharon with a groan as she put down her weights.  “I know. How about liposuction.  I’ve got a cousin who had liposuction to lose some excess weight.  It worked for her, and she looks fantastic.”

"I guess it's something to think about," said Amy, already imagining herself at the beach in a brand new hot pink bikini.

Quote of the Week

Love makes everything grow. - unknown

 

There may be a time, a place and a reason for all things, but love makes them grow. Without love we would wither like a forgotten flower.

Daydreaming

Lying on the beach with the gentle ocean breeze caressing her body, Gina drifted from one delectable daydream to another.  The wispy white clouds drifted lazily across the sky, temporarily masking the sun's warming rays.

Suddenly her reverie was broken by the sound of someone yelling.  Her heart thumping, she jumped to her feet looking in the direction of the noise. Relief filled her when she saw two young boys playing Frisbee on the beach with their dog.

Today's post was written for the Five Sentence Fiction writing prompt based on the word "delectable".

Looking Up

A beautiful Easter Sunday afternoon at Salem Lake.

Quote of the Week

Music makes pictures and often tells stories. 

- John Denver

If words paint pictures, and a picture is worth a thousand words, then music makes them all come alive.

This was inspired by one of the pictures from Nicky and Mike at We Work for Cheese during their 30 days of photographs saga.

What Would Daddy Say?

Daddy was an old-fashioned, old school, all American guy...and I don't mean he was an athlete.  He didn't even watch sports.  However, he was an all American when it came to his cars.  Basically, they all came out of Detroit (or wherever GM was putting cars together).

2006 Toyota Highlander

Until this year, all my cars were GM as well.  Like father, like daughter.

It all started when I was 16.  Every kid wants a car, and I was no exception.  So Daddy bought me my first car.  It was a 16 year old's dream - a (used) 1970 Firebird.  I would be driving to school in style.

Next came a (new) Buick Skyhawk.  After about 10 years, and some problems caused by it being sideswiped in its infancy, I gave it up for a (used) Cutlass Ciera GT.  It was love at first sight... literally on the dealer's lot.  "That's my car!"

Now I was hooked on all things Oldsmobile, and when I needed a new car, I headed straight to the nearest Olds dealer.  The year was 1997 and enter a (new) Cutlass Supreme SL.  See a pattern here?  I remember calling Daddy to ask if he would like to be here when they delivered my new car.  Surprise!

1997 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme

Then a mere 12 years later, due to some inferior maintenance, it died. [sniff]

It take a while for me to choose cars, so in the meantime, hubby let me drive his.

**Now here is the real point of the story**  

All of our family's cars during my lifetime (except for a DeSoto and some other car from the 50s) had been GM.  Now I've gone and gotten a Toyota, and hubby is driving a Honda.

So, what would Daddy say?  

The answer would most likely be - "Whatever suits you."

Care to talk about your first car, or your favorite?

The Princess

Eli was concerned about his latest dream.  It rang with an eerie reality.  Slowly he remembered...when he was just a lad his mother told him bedtime stories - fairy tales she called them.  He thought they were the same stories every mother told their children.  Ones from a fantasy land, but unlike King Arthur and Hansel and Gretel, her stories were tales of the animal kingdom.

Image source: djajakarta

The tale she told most often was about a princess who was raised by a family of giant birds.  They lived at the top of a huge tree in the middle of the enchanted forest.  They were the rulers of the forest and one day they found a tiny baby whose parents were killed by the beast who roamed the night just beyond the forest's edge.  They took the baby to their nest, cared for her and raised her as their own.  Because she was different, they made her a princess.  For years the princess lived among the tree tops until one day she realized that she didn't belong here, that there was another world below.  She bid a tearful good-bye to her bird family.  Over the years, her family had grown and she had hundreds of siblings.  They gathered to carry her safely to the ground where she began her new life.

But now Eli questioned whether that was really a fairy tale.  It might explain the weird dreams he had been having.  Could his mother be the princess of her tale?  Was she an orphan after all or was she really hatched?

Written for Magpie Tales.

Quote of the Week

Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does.  

- William James

Whether it's doing something special for someone, taking care of the every day chores, or just taking some time for yourself, what you do has an impact on those around you.  What you do does make a difference!

Happy Easter

However you celebrate Easter, with family and friends or Spring break, Church or Easter baskets, or just enjoying life and the renewal brought by the changing seasons, I wish you peace and happiness.  

Happy Easter to all!

Birdman?

Image Source: image: ParkeHarrison

During the night something strange has happened to Eli.  He stirs to consciousness only to feel all prickly.  His foggy mind is wondering who put all these sticks in his bed.  As he tries to stand up, sticks stab his bare feet.  Ouch!  What? 

It appears that Eli is standing in a giant bird nest.  This is ridiculous, he thinks.  There is no such thing as giant bird nests, or am I losing my mind? 

As he begins to climb out of his prickly confines, he stops to take a look around, and is startled at what he sees.  Tree tops.  Pines, oaks, etc.  How is it that he is standing in a giant bird nest at the top of a tree?

Oh no, he thought, I'm not standing in a giant bird nest.  It's much worse.  I am six inches tall, standing in a normal bird nest at the top of a tree.  Help!!!

When Eli finally did wake up, he found bits of twigs between his toes and a feather in his hair.

Written for Magpie Tales.

Quote of the Week

If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere.   - Vincent Van Gogh

 

Even amongst the dead leaves, I found this brilliant beauty.  Everywhere you turn, there is something to see - all we have to do is look.  Nature will surprise and delight us every time.

Spring Fever

With Spring comes warm temperatures, sunny days, fierce weather, and lots of yard work.  All this means that I have come down with a bad case of Spring Fever.  Therefore, I will be taking a much-needed Spring Break.

Roses to Rainbows will return sometime next week; same time, same place.  

See you then!

Quote of the Week

An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language.  - Martin Buber

So, what am I saying?

Wouldn't you like to know?

I love you!

Runaway Muse

When my muse up and decides to take a trip, probably to some lush tropical island, she does me a favor.  She leaves me with exactly 55 words with which to create my next post.  The problem is she doesn't tell me which 55 words.  That's something I have to figure out on my own.

Written for Friday Flash 55.

Good Morning To All!

There is nothing extraordinary about this sunrise...unless you consider that I snooze right through most of them.

 

Between the time change making sunrise later, and my inability to sleep any longer this morning, I saw the sun rise.  Lest you think I'm a total slug, I do get the occasional glimpse of dawn breaking when I make my way to the kitchen to feed our...

Awesome Cat

Rosie's internal clock tells him (and me) when it's time for breakfast!  After which I pad back to bed.

He has been dubbed an "awesome cat" in part because of all his health issues, and how he takes it all in stride and remains a happy, loving kitty.

Quote of the Week

Image Source:  Wikimedia

There are good ships, and there are wood ships, the ships that sail the sea. But the best ships are friendships, and may they always be.  - Edward "Ted" Kennedy 

I found this while searching for St. Patrick's Day quotes and sayings.  I like the rhyme, the warmth and the truth of this saying.  

Here's to friendship.  Cheers!

Spring: Friend or Foe?

The flowers are blooming, and the trees are budding.  Mother Nature decorates with brilliant colors and sprouts tender leaves.  Dandelions dot the landscape like yellow stars in a sky of green.

Noses are sneezing and sniffling; eyes water and foreheads wrinkle in pain.  Spring is praised for it's beauty and cursed for it's allergy-inducing pollens.




Written for Friday Flash 55.

Designer Beauty

Spring bursts brightly forth

From the barren winter ground

Designer beauty

Written for dVerse Poetry.

Quote of the Week

Listen or thy tongue will keep thee deaf. 

-Native American Indian Proverb

If you are always talking, the only thoughts, ideas and opinions you will ever hear are your own.  This is akin to being deaf, for you will never learn anything new.  Hear...Listen...Learn.

Monticello

A Lesson in Patience

The mama cat sat staring into the weeds at the edge of the farm.  Only the tip of her tail moved.  "Patience is a virtue", she tells her litter, as they watch her.

Suddenly she pounces into the weeds and turns back with a plump field mouse.  Our patience has been rewarded.  We have dinner."

Looks like there's no dinner for you guys!

Written for Friday Flash 55.