The Uglier Side of Alaska – and a twist

February 15th, 2012 / Categories: Moose Nuggets / 2 Comments »

I know I talk often about what a beautiful place Alaska is and I post pictures of the gorgeous snow. Well, here’s what happens when we have bouts of freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw-snow-rain-thaw . . .


click for larger view

found this on fb – from Linsie Hansen Butikofer’s Photos – no, I don’t know her, but I love this. And, as she says — yes we know Sarah Palin didn’t say that, but saying SNL blah, blah, blah would have been too cumbersome.
🙂 Enjoy

But, with each freeze-thaw episode we have I remember we are one day closer to spring. I love spring. Bring it on, Alaska. Thanks for the extra daylight minutes . . . I love those a lot, too.

btw – Moose Browse (books I’ve read this year) and Crafty Moose (knitting projects completed this year) pages have been updated . . . in case you’re interested.
🙂

Seeking Safety

February 13th, 2012 / Categories: Moose Nuggets, trifecta / 13 Comments »

They drove down dark streets, cutting into alleys at the first sight of approaching headlights.

The woman huddled in the corner, ducking low enough she couldn’t be seen by anyone not looking directly into the window.

“Not much further,” the driver assured her.

She looked into the back seat at her sleeping children. “Just please hurry,” she whimpered. “He’ll be home soon and when he finds out I’m gone, I know he’ll come looking for us.”

The driver nodded in reassurance. “I know it’s hard for you to believe now, but things are going to work out. We have people who will help you. You are very brave.”

“I don’t feel brave,” the other woman sniffled into her coat. “I just want my girls to grow up happy, without being afraid all the time.”

The driver slid a box of tissues over. She always kept tissues for the women, stuffed animals for the children, and a bag of snacks for both. Trips like these were mostly made in the wee hours of the morning, and the people she transported to the Safe House were often distraught, frightened and hungry.

Her boundaries were simple: no names. She never gave her own, nor asked for the names of those she drove. Her part in the drama ended when she pulled through the wrought iron gates and someone took her charges from her car.

Confidentiality was key – safety paramount. Domestic violence was rampant in her community and she was but a cog in the wheel of its antithesis.

“Here we are,” she said as she turned the last corner. “Someone will come to take you into the house. Be well.”

The woman touched her children gently to wake them, and then turned to go into the house. Her scarf slid down and the driver winced as she pulled it back up to cover her ravaged face.

The driver grabbed for the tissues as she pulled away. This was right. This was good. She had helped.
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The editors at Trifecta have challenged us again with the word SAFE. The above are 333 of my words on the subject.


Every 9 seconds a woman is abused by her intimate partner.
Do you know someone who is being abused? Are you someone who has suffered abuse? There is help. YOU can help.

Anonymous and
Confidential Help 24/7:
1.800.799.SAFE (7233)
1.800.787.3224 (TTY)
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written for and in memory of my Mom and the thousands of women like her.

Saturday Crosswords

February 11th, 2012 / Categories: Moose Nuggets / 14 Comments »

The newspaper rattled as he glanced across the table at her. It was their weekend habit – sharing breakfast, but the Saturday crossword had cut out conversation more than once.

Harold looked up again. He caught the attention of the waitress and gestured toward his cup. Leaning back into the booth he stirred enough cream to drown a hog (according to Babs) into the thick, black brew.

His buddies teased him about the odd breakfast routine, but Harold knew Babs still cared about him. She occasionally read bits of the news to him and they would laugh together at their favorite comic strips.

The crossword puzzles didn’t take long to finish and Babs remarked, as she always did. “I should time myself someday.”

Affection comes in all shapes and sizes as well as interests and joys. At 16 they chattered like magpies, wondering at the “older” people around them who sat silently over their meals. “We will not be like that when we’re old,” they had promised themselves more than once.

Then the babies came and talk was centered on their needs and bills and babysitters and cars and the detritus of struggling young marrieds. Date nights were hard to come by, but always appreciated.

Now, after 43 years of Saturday puzzles, Harold had to admit he was content. He reached across the table, took the crossword and noted how Babs’ handwriting was getting shakier and the words were mostly gibberish with her advancing dementia. “You’ve gotten them all right again, Babs. Ready to go shopping now?”

Harold helped her into her coat, nodded to the waitress, and smiled at the young couple in the next booth. He wished for them the same longevity he and Babs had shared.
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Ahhh, those crafty editors at Trifecta challenged us to write a love story without using ONE of 33 forbidden words. I chose to write a different sort of love story, one that has weathered time. Let me know if I snuck one of the forbidden words in there.
🙂

Sugar-booger

February 6th, 2012 / Categories: trifecta, words / 8 Comments »

“Well,” Marti drew out the word into several syllables.

Rex grinned and kissed her cheek: “Deep hole for shallow minds, you know.” He ducked her fast right fist aimed playfully at his mid-section.

“Rex! Dang it. I was thinking and I had the answer right at the tip of my tongue. Now it’s gone.”

“Aww Sugar-booger, stick out your tongue and let me see if I can find it for you.”

Marti obliged and blew a raspberry as well.

Theirs was an uncomplicated relationship. Marti and Rex both enjoyed having a grand time when they saw each other. They went to the movies and took long drives and laughed. Always there was laughter.

“You asked me a question – you have to let me think about the answer, you know. Just because you think you know the answer doesn’t mean I’m ready to give you the one you expect.”

“You’re right, Sugar-booger. C’mere and give me a hug. I’ll let you think as long as you want. You can even say ‘well’ and I won’t tease you anymore. I love you from the tip of your perky nose to the bottoms of your little toes. I can wait.”

Rex settled down on the brick wall and watched while Marti paced up and down the lawn. He could wait this out. The question had not been all that hard – not as deep as she was pretending. Would she or would she not marry him before his next hitch?

There was no problem their love couldn’t overcome.

He stretched out on the wall, closed his eyes and began to hum. Marti would get past the uncertainties, and find the answer he awaited.
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This week the editors at Trifecta have given us a challenge: DEEP. It’s used twice in this piece, but it is the second time that fits the definition best:(we are to use the word in the third definition)
3: difficult to penetrate or comprehend : recondite [deep mathematical problems]

A word about “Sugar-booger”: a friend on fb asked how her friends felt about being called sweetie, dearie, etc. One commenter said her older relative always replied to such by calling the other person “Sugar-booger.” While I don’t always enjoy being called such names by people I don’t know – I LOVE this name and am adding it to my repertoire of endearments.

Trifextra Week 2 – take 2

February 4th, 2012 / Categories: Moose Nuggets, trifecta, words / 13 Comments »

I find myself in the midst of writers much better than I. At least they seem so to my mind as I read their submissions. While this could (should?) discourage me, it makes me want to write better and for that I am thankful.
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I am wowed often by the other Trifecta/Trifextra submissions, but it only keeps me at the keyboard. After reading the other submissions this week I found myself talking to myself. That conversation is above.

🙂

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