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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/profile/blog/carly1967/month/9-1-2021
Rated: 13+ · Book · Other · #1966420
Theses are my thoughts and ramblings as I forge my way through this thing they call life.
These are my thoughts and ramblings as I forge my way through this thing they call Life.

I blog with these groups:
Welcome... Blog City image small WDC's Longest Running Blog Competition - Hiatus Soundtrack of Your Life Logo

"Blogging Circle of Friends [E]

BCOF Insignia
September 7, 2021 at 8:17pm
September 7, 2021 at 8:17pm
#1016997
WDC Birthday Bash Blog

Day Seven: AN INCONVENIENT BIRTHDAY


I have a deadline. A raging deadline and it must be met. Every time I get to it and just start to get into the flow someone interrupts with birthday wishes.

They can stick their wishes.... no, I really should not be so upset about it, but the thing is... I need to get this damn story finished and in to my editor before the end of the day. Why the hell did I pick today to be the day for the deadline, I'll never know. I guess I figured I would be done by now. Done and celebrating.

Now that was a crazy idea.

I hate birthdays. Another year older. No damn wiser. Just more aches and pains.... and pains in my ass. I mumbled the last bit aloud as I grabbed the phone as it shrilled. I tried to keep my voice calm, but the irritation shimmered under the surface like some kind of demonic monster.

"Happy Birthday, cheri!" trilled another well wisher.

I ground my teeth, blew out a calming breath and thanked them as kindly as I could manage.

I really had to find a way out from under these distractions. My eyes glanced out the window to the mountain range in the distance. An idea formed as my aunt droned on about some kind of family thing. I really had no interest.

As soon as I could, I carved myself out of the conversation trying not to hang up or cut her off, but this particular aunt could talk for days if given the chance. With my ear pasted to the phone I jumbled myself into a jacket and gathered my gear.

Within moments of hanging up I was out the door and heading for the mountain path. No Cell service. No internet. I could get my work done and be home in time for dinner and some damn reservation at Chez Pierre. No doubt a surprise party that I really had no interest in.

Why couldn't I just crawl under a rock until tomorrow?

Words = 340
September 6, 2021 at 10:58pm
September 6, 2021 at 10:58pm
#1016934
WDC Birthday Bash Blog

Day Six: THE IDEAL BIRTHDAY PARTY


What would you say to a birthday party with your favourite characters or authors. I am not a huge fan of birthday parties with me as the center of attention, but with characters and authors.... it could be intriguing.

Imagine attending a lavish country estate in England where servants served a picnic banquet of roast ham and beef. They would cut your choice and you would pile it high on homemade bread, complete with a selection of your own sandwich toppings and side fixings. Pickles, potato salad, five cup or ambrosia salad. Veggies all picked fresh from the garden - tomatoes, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower. And the most amazing dip.... cause good veggies need a great dip. Anything you wished.

A dessert buffet would follow this. Being the ideal birthday party, there would be no calories and the selection would be fabulous. English Triffle, Tiramisu, cherry New York style cheesecake, pastries, berries of all kinds and ice cream of any flavour you could dream up.

The day would be perfect. A sunny 25 degrees Celsius with NO humidity.
My party would have Jane Austen Characters:
Emma Woodhouse, Mr. Knightly, Jane and Elizabeth Bennett, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, and Georgina Darcy to name a few.

Everyone would dress the part and the day would be such lovely fun. You could be another character and play your part.

Imagine the story lines of Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion and the unfinished Sanditon mixing. Delightful.
September 5, 2021 at 5:48pm
September 5, 2021 at 5:48pm
#1016839
WDC Birthday Bash Blog

Day Five: MUCH ADO ABOUT CAKE



Created confession
Always appreciated
Kindly enjoyed
Even if it looks like an elephant.

Lines = 4.

Note: this poem is in response to my teammate Look out! Choco's Nuts Mwahaha
September 4, 2021 at 2:09pm
September 4, 2021 at 2:09pm
#1016771
WDC Birthday Bash Blog

Day Four: SCARIEST BIRTHDAY EVER


Josh, my boyfriend of two years, said he had a wonderful birthday surprise for me. I was excited, but also apprehensive. Josh's surprises were not always my cup of tea. I was hoping for a hike along the escapement, a picnic lunch under a canopy of lush vegetation and maybe even a marriage proposal.

Saturday morning we headed in the direction of my dreams, but then pulled up in front of a plane hanger. My heart sunk.

"We're going skydiving!"

My horror matched his enthusiasm.

This was not the first time he had planned something for us that was more his thing. If I showed any dissention, he would pout the whole day and my birthday would be ruined.

The thought of jumping out of a plane was just this side of suicide as far as I was concerned.

Josh was dancing in delight. As usual, he was completely oblivious to my fears and concerns.

"We get a training session and then its up, up and away!" He bounded from the car.

I felt the nausea roll through me as the chills gripped my gut, leaving me light headed with terror as I struggled to make my way out of the car. My limbs felt like lead.

"Happy Birthday, Meg! This is going to be awesome." he called as he made his way into the hanger not even waiting for me.

I dragged in breaths of air hoping to find some equilibrium. When I did manage to move forward, it was on legs of rubber.

As I entered the hanger one of the training crew caught my eye. He gave me a reassured smile as he listened to Josh yammer on about this being the best birthday ever.

"Is this your birthday?" the young man asked him.

"Hell, no. It's her's. The big 30."

His booming voice made me cringe as he shared those details. I was already on tenterhooks about the idea of being 30 and not yet married.

"Oh, so you're both going up?" the young man asked looking over at the ashen look on my face.

"Damn straight." Josh said as he walked over to inspect the equipment.

"Are you sure?" the man asked me.

I bit my lip. To say no would result in a tantrum. I did not want these people to see how vile Josh could be when he didn't get this way. I pulled in a deep breath and nodded curtly.

"We could offer you a tandem jump?" the man offered.

"No way. Full on. Grab the bull by the horns, Meggie and do this right." Josh called over not looking at me.

I hated when he called me Meggie. It made my skin crawl. I blew out another shaky breath and said around a dry mouth, "Would that be a safer option?"

The man raised a brow and gave a half shrug and a lopsided smile as he said, "Only marginally."

I had to appreciate his honesty and the fact that he seemed more concerned about me than my boyfriend.

"Well, if I have to do this..."

"You don't have to," he began.

"Yes, she does. This is my present to her. Don't be a chicken shit, Meggie."

I flinched as if hit. Straightening up to my full height - a mere 5 feet, I nodded determined to suffer through this.

"I'll do tandem... with you?" I asked the young man who gave me a reassuring smile.

"Oh, Meggie," I heard Josh mutter disapprovingly.

I suffered through the training and the safety measures. Each bit of knowledge made me sick with fright, but glancing over at my tandem partner as he lead the group, I did not feel quite as awful as I expected.

Tension built as we loaded ourselves into the plane and headed up into the perfectly blue sky.

I could do this, I told myself. And if I lived through it things were going to change. I was done balking and backing down to Josh's thoughtlessness.

Josh was the first out. I watched him sail through the air. Malicious thoughts scraped at me as he descended.

When his shoot opened, it was my turn.

Gabe shifted up behind me and asked if I was ready. I nodded and he connected us. We moved carefully to the open doorway of the plane.

My life held, then catapulted as we jumped. I screamed, not caring what Gabe would think. My life flashed before me and I realized - This had to end. Either in my death or this relationship. Either way, I was done.

When we were safely on the ground. I could hear Josh whooping and hollering like it was the best thing he had ever experienced. I could feel Gabe's strength behind me. Even as he untangled our gear he kept a hold of me. I still shook from the exhilaration and terror of the experience.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I will be," I said smiling back at him. My first real smile and he smiled back.

As Josh rushed towards me. I held up my hand to stop him.

"NO." I bellowed as loud as I could. He stopped in his tracks. "We're done."

"But," he sputtered, "you loved it."

"That's just it Josh. I didn't and you don't even realize that... I am done. No more. Good bye, Josh."

I headed off towards the truck that would take us back to the hanger.

I could hear Josh laughing behind me. He didn't believe I was serious. When he climbed back into the truck, I turned to Gabe and asked, "Do you think someone could drive me back into the City?"

"My pleasure," he said. "I know this great burger place on the way, if your interested?'

I smiled my acceptance as I avoided looking at Josh. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his jaw had dropped as the dawning of my seriousness began to weigh on him.

Words = 992


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September 3, 2021 at 11:00pm
September 3, 2021 at 11:00pm
#1016722
WDC Birthday Bash Blog

Day Three: A FORGOTTEN BIRTHDAY


I don't like being the center of attention, but I also don't want to be forgotten either. I don't want a big party, but I don't want to be ignored either.

I feel for those people living alone without access to technology. I'm sure many of them had their birthday's forgotten or they did not get any fanfare.

I also feel for those people stuck in a hospital.

Word Count = 68

September 2, 2021 at 7:49pm
September 2, 2021 at 7:49pm
#1016627
WDC Birthday Bash Blog


Day Two: Worst Present Ever


Who gives a pink bedspread to a daughter who's husband clearly would not like it
What thought goes into that gift?
Think fuzzy Pepto Bismal in King size splendor....
I don't even like pink
It's far too girly even for me
You gotta wonder how much thought goes into my mother's gifts
Or was she thinking it funny?
My husband, at the time stayed quiet
But he was not impressed
He told me exactly what he thought after our guests left.
His dislike of my mother grew
How could mom figure I would put it on our bed
I didn't even put the wedding ring quilt on our marriage bed
And it only had a bit of pink mixed in with lovely greens
It was relegated to the spare room
Now it has a place of honour
On my bed.... but that husband...
He's long gone
And so is that ugly pink bedspread.
Gone Sally's way.

Lines = 20


September 1, 2021 at 5:44pm
September 1, 2021 at 5:44pm
#1016516
WDC Birthday Bash Blog


Day One: A PANDEMIC- AL BIRTHDAY



No cards sent
No presents wrapped in fancy paper
No candle lit dinners at fancy restaurants
Or birthday cakes made with a delicate pastry chef's skill
No parties as life milestones are crossed

But there is always love and good wishes.

Songs sung across Zoom screens are laughable as we try to get ourselves in sync - without anyone cutting --
         -- out or being dropped ---
                              - with a bad connection,
Some even see family from far away countries that would never have been able to make it.

Drive byes have a whole new connotation -
As people sit outside in lawn chairs,
Numbered balloons tied to the back,
bobbing in the breeze as horns blast and people call out Birthday wishes and wave
Complete strangers get caught in the convoy
And instead of stewing and snarling at their plight,
They join in and ring out greetings with smiles
Of pleasure at being part of something... anything.
Anything is better than sitting home alone.

Others, who do venture close, send smiles set back at a safe distance
Hidden under wraps and masks

Some birthday celebrations even make the news - a glimmer of goodness within the onslaught of Covid stats.

We have all learned to find the good within this darkness.
The sliver lining through the densely packed clouds
The smile behind the mask
Humanity will always find a way to connect.

Happy 21st Birthday WDC!

Being a free verse poem the word count = 237.

Lines = 27.


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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/profile/blog/carly1967/month/9-1-2021