Learning to Eat

Written for the 30-day creative writing challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese.  It is day 28 of the writing challenge and those who are still standing will be weighing in with today's prompt, the turning point.  Check out the Linky at WWFC to turn on to some great writing.

Today's prompt is the turning point.  That should be an easy topic to write on, right?  We've all had at least one, and probably many smaller, less significant ones.  So what is a turning point?  I found this definition:  When an action or an event takes a turn for the better or for the worse, or changes direction.  This could mean getting or losing a job, getting married or divorced, moving out or moving in, among other things.

Dinner at Waltz

I've experienced all but one of those, but perhaps a more significant turning point was food related.  I learned to eat!  No, not really, but it seemed that way.  My Mom was a great cook and everything she put on the table was delicious, however as a kid I didn't always like it and if I didn't like it (or thought I didn't like it) I didn't have to eat it.  My father was not an adventurous eater, and so Mom's repertoire was limited.  After fixing something once that he didn't care for, she vowed not to serve that to him again.

So I entered adulthood still thinking Mexican food came from Taco Bell, and wouldn't dream of eating Chinese, Japanese, Indian, (real) Mexican, German, or any of the other cuisines I now enjoy.

Then, when I was in my mid 20s, enter my boyfriend, who is now my husband.  He liked all these things and more, and wanted more than just meat and potatoes.  He took me to a Mexican restaurant called Casa Galliardo's, and that was the beginning of my conversion.

Before that going out meant seafood or steak.  With my newly discovered taste buds, I even became more experimental with seafood, and pretty much if it swims, I'll at least try it.  Well done steak - forget it!  I've eaten crawfish and alligator, and tasted kangaroo and ostrich.  I found I like spicy foods too...who knew?  Indian and Thai, bring it on.  Jerk and Cajun, yum!  Our most recent discovery is a lovely little authentic Greek restaurant. 

That was definitely was a major turning point which has made for some really delicious meals.  We like to say that we vacation for food because we like to check out all the local specialties.  So I say thank you to my husband for broadening my culinary horizons.

Waltz Seafood at John's Pass

Side of the Road

Written for the 30-day creative writing challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese.  It is the 27th day of this challenging event, and we are approaching the finish line.  Today's prompt is Side of the Road.  Check out the Linky at WWFC to get on the right side of the road.

My apologies in advance to Katherine.  Her Intervention post inspired this poem. 

Katherine she got smashed

No, I mean she got crashed

Her car that is

I hope it's not trashed

She got smacked from behind

Were they out of their mind

I bet for this screw-up

They'll surely be fined

She came to a halt

From the slamming assault

At the side of the road

It wasn't her fault

Now her neck's in a twist

And her friends did insist

That to the doctor she go

And she did as they wished

With pills he did stuff her

No pain will she suffer

At home she must stay

Until she is tougher

Saving the Day: An Intervention

Written for the 30-day creative writing challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese.  It is the 26th day of this challenging event, and we are approaching the finish line.  Today's prompt is An Intervention.  Check out the Linky at WWFC to get the inside scoop.

**Fiction**

The headline read Saving the Day:  An Intervention.  "I was just doing my job" John told the reporter, after he was photographed being hugged by the little girl's mother.

It had started the day before when the FBI profilers had narrowed the search to one man, Hector Stimfield.  He was wanted in six states for kidnapping and murder.  He targeted blond-haired, blue eyed girls between the ages of 10 and 12.  They believed him to be a victim of abuse by his older sister when he was a child.  His sister was now in prison for dealing drugs and assault.

Hector moved from state to state, and job to job.  In his current location he worked as a furniture delivery man, which allowed him to gain entrance to people's homes.  That is how he searched for his victims.  His most recent kidnapping was 12 year-old Eliza Parker.  She had been missing for two days.

Image Source:  geograph.org.uk

Local authorities, working with the FBI, had a tip of a blond girl and a man fitting Hector's description in the warehouse district on the north side of town.  The FBI and SWAT were on the scene in minutes.  There was an old white delivery van parked outside an unoccupied warehouse.  Snipers set up on the roof tops of several nearby buildings.

They tried to negotiate with her kidnapper.  They knew what he was capable of and that the situation could become volatile at any moment.

This is where John came into the picture.  He was positioned with a direct line of sight into the warehouse through a broken window.  His rifle, an Intervention sniper rifle, was among the best and most accurate.

He was waiting for his cue.  The FBI wanted to give Hector the opportunity to surrender so he could be arrested, tried and hopefully convicted.  If he failed to comply, then they would allow John to take the shot when he had it.

Not grasping the reality of his situation, Hector refused, saying "If you come in here, the girl's dead."  That was it.  John took the shot and it was over.

After the child was returned to her, Mrs. Parker insisted on meeting John to thank him, and that's when the photograph was taken.  She hugged him and thanked him profusely.  "If not for your skillful intervention, my daughter might have been killed.  I cannot thank you enough."

"You're welcome, ma'am.  I was just doing my job."

My Worst Christmas Ever

Written for the 30-day creative writing challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese.  It is the 25th day of this mind-bending challenge, and I can say that my mind is both challenged and slightly off kilter.  Today's  prompt is Worst Christmas Ever.  Check out the Linky at WWFC to see who is still standing.

For most people Christmas is a happy time, filled with family, friends, big dinners and gifts.  Houses are decorated with lights of all colors, lawns filled with lighted reindeer, inflatable Santas and snowmen.  Holiday music begins and stores display large festive trees long before the Thanksgiving feast is prepared.

This is what we know, what we expect, and what fills us with the Spirit of Christmas.  However, sometimes things happen in life that changes that feeling.  Events beyond our control take over our thoughts, control our actions, diminish our joy and leave us feeling sad and blue.

That was the case in 2002.  Christmas was just weeks away when we discovered that my Mom had an electrolyte imbalance and had the option of drinking about a gallon of Gatorade or going into the hospital for a few days to get her sodium and potassium levels back on track.  We chose the hospital...there was no way she could drink that much Gatorade.

This was temporary and she would be home in a couple days.   OK we can fix this.  I arrange for ambulance transport because it would be the easiest and safest way to get her there.

We got her sodium and potassium back in line, but then there were more problems and by the time she'd been in for a week, she'd lost too much strength to go home alone.

At that point I faced what had been, thus far, the worst day of my life - the day I put my mother into a nursing home.

This was the middle of December and I visited her every day.  While we knew she had some issues, we still felt that after some physical therapy she could return home.  That wasn't to be.  On the night before Christmas she had taken a downward turn.

Two days after Christmas on December 27, she passed away when we had stepped out for a few minutes to get lunch. 

We all know that death is a part of life, but to have to face it over what is supposed to be a joyous, happy season is even more difficult.  Not once but twice have we faced the loss of a loved one at Christmas.  We lost my father-in-law just this past year several days before Christmas after two separate stays in the hospital.  Like my Mom, we thought that he too would recover and go home.  It wasn't to be in either case, so we each have a worst Christmas ever.

Cheers to You!

Written for the 30-day creative writing challenge hosted by Nicky and Mike of We Work For Cheese.  It is Day 24 and the prompt is Roast or toast another blogger.  Check out the Linky at WWFC to see who everyone's talking about.

Today we are supposed to either roast or toast another blogger.  I remember the Dean Martin Roasts, and they were funny but I don't possess the wit or talent to roast anyone properly.  The other option is to choose someone to toast.

Well, there are so many deserving folks that choosing one would not be possible or fair, and since this was not 30 days of roasting or toasting bloggers, here is a partial list of the many talented, funny, and highly entertaining people I have come to know through the wonderful world of blogging.

While I have created categories, I would say that there is much crossover among these multi-talented individuals.

Most photographic
Hilary from The Smitten Image

Hilary hails from Canada and takes the most amazing photographs of just about anything that strikes her eye.  Her nature shots are so clear and with such detail, you feel as though you are looking at them in person.

Most engaging 
Jayne from Injaynesworld

Jayne is a unique individual with a great sense of humor.  She has written for TV, and is a published author of the the book "Suitable for Giving".  She loves horses and living a quiet life in her mountain-top retreat.

Most poetic
Jannie from Jannie Funster

Jannie takes the ordinary and paints pictures through poetry, and is a talented song writer and singer.  She is artistic and creative and loves hanging out with her adorable daughter.

Most family oriented
Katherine from Shoot Me Now

Katherine shares her family stories, her trips to the beach and even her embarrassing moments with us so that we feel like family too.

Most Challenging
Nicky from We Work for Cheese

Nicky is the hostess of our 30-day writing challenge, and aside from her passion for shoes, is a funny, talented writer who can make the normal everyday life interesting, and also creates great fictional characters through creative writing. 

Most hilarious
Babs from Babs-Beetle

Babs shares the most hilarious, fly-on-the-wall moments so charmingly.  She and Mo have cracked me up so many times with their videos.

Most entertaining
Meleah from Momma Mia Mia Culpa

Meleah entertains us with her family drama, her Dad stories, her son, and her novel writing adventures.  They are a close-knit bunch and it seems there is never a dull moment in her home.

Most insightful
Sara from a sharing connection

Sara writes fiction with a flair, poems, and does the most interesting photo challenge posts.  She posts a picture and poses questions for the reader to answer, thus challenging their creativity.

Most adventurous
Linda from The Good, The Bad, The Worse

Linda's life on the edge stories are always funny and entertaining.  Her love of her husband, her family and her animal companions shows through in her posts. 

Best storyteller
Talon from Talonted

Talon is indeed talented.  She writes poetry and short stories, accompanied by some wonderful photographs. Like Hilary and Nicky, she also lives in Canada.

All these folks deserve a huge round of applause for keeping us entertained, making us think, and sharing the beauty of the human experience.  I would be honored to hang out with each and every one of you!