Monthly Archives:April 2011

This is another response to VV’s 100 Word Challenge: Bathed.
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Annie’s hair shone in the sunlight. The sounds of children playing brought dimples to her face, joy to her heart.

“Cinderella dressed in yellow, went upstairs to kiss her fellow.”

“Mama, the kids bothering you?” asked Rilla.

Annie shook her head and took a roll from her tray with shaking hands.

“I was startled when I walked in and saw you bathed in the sun. You’re just like an angel rocking there. I love you, Mama. I will miss you when you leave us.”

Annie patted Rilla’s hand, another smile crinkling her eyes. “I know, child. I love you, too.”
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Today’s A to Z Challenge letter is Y.

How perfect is it that the letter for today is Y? I am one of (apparently) millions of people who stayed up all night to watch the royal doings.

Being in Alaska has some drawbacks when what you want to see is waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy over across the pond. 4 a.m. on the East coast is midnight in Alaska. So I stayed up – mostly. Set my cell phone alarm to go off at periodic times to make sure I was AWAKE enough to see.

The kiss was so quick I almost missed it. Nice to see him do an instant replay.

Love is in the air –

Found a new prompt – A picture is worth 1000 words – The blogger posts a picture and you write about it. I found this earlier this month, started writing the piece below, but only just went back to it. May develop into a full on story at some point, but for now it is at a good stopping point.
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Jeff coughed. He started when the echoes rang around him, but then settled back against the polished wood again. Dust motes sparkled in the flickering candlelight and a slight scent of incense tickled his nose.

Quiet – maybe too quiet, but that was what Jeff was seeking when he entered the church that night. He just needed a rest from the incessant voices inside his head. It seemed this building quieted them.

Or maybe the statues and marble columns swallowed up the noise like the cavernous sanctuary swallowed up Jeff.

He felt, more than saw, that he was no longer alone. The hairs on his legs stood at attention against his jeans. His arms tingled and the back of his neck just felt plain creepy. Someone was approaching and Jeff wasn’t quite ready for that.

“Evening, son. Is there anything I can do for you?”

The white-haired priest placed a meaty hand on Jeff’s shoulder. His senses already prepared for the appearance, it was still everything Jeff could do not to jump at the touch.

“No, Father. I’m just resting if that’s okay. I like being here in the candlelight – just me and the saints and that man up there on the cross.”

“I like it, too, son. Sorta peaceful, isn’t it? Well, I’m going up there to the sacristy behind the altar. If you need me just call out. You rest and if you want to talk, that Man up there? He listens to us all.”

The priest walked to the altar, genuflected, then entered the door to the right and Jeff was once again alone. Funny, the voices had quieted down when he entered the church, but now they were silent. “Wonder what secret he holds,” thought Jeff.

photo courtesy of PJOnori see it here.

Today’s A to Z Challenge letter is X.

What to write about – what to writer about???

Let’s go with X-Rays for now.

Each year I get the normal X-rays – on my teeth. I get a type of X-ray in my annual mammogram. That has been the norm for me for many years.

Until late 2007 when I was sent for my first cat scan – followed by my first MRI. The docs were looking at “something” on my kidney. That something turned out to be cancer and I underwent a partial nephrectomy. My remaining 1+ kidneys seem to be working well, for which I am thankful.

However, now on an annual basis I add these new tests to my litany of X-rays as the docs continue to watch “something” on my other kidney.

Ain’t technology grand?