Conundrums

Bloggie friends! Please help me!

If you were to read: “send us a story of no more than 2000 words” would you think they want a story of anything from 1 word to 2000 words?

Or do they want 2000 words exactly?

It’s just I think I have a story but the final word count is 912 so maybe it’s too short and won’t qualify.

My brain’s trying to work this conundrum out and can’t seem to get a straight answer! LOL!

What do you think?

Charlie says: I think it is snack time.


I love long weekends just gone! Yay, more please!

Small Print

Bloggie friends!

Earlier last month, I came across this competition – got all excited – until I read what the competition organisers do not categorically want.

“Avoid cat and dog stories”.

And the title of my story? The Cat Who Came to a Dog’s Dinner.

Always read the guidelines, the small print and/or the tiny writing under the space where you are about to sign, bloggie friends!

Charlie says: I look for signs of next door.


Finally, it’s Friday! Have a great weekend everyone.

It’s a 3 day Bank Holiday weekend here so see you all on Tuesday!

Sing-a-long-a-blogger

Bloggie friends!

Here is a song for Blogger done to the tune of Neil Sedaka's Oh Carol:

Oh Blogger!
I am but a fool!
I may be an oldie
No need to treat me cruel!
You hurt me and you make me cry
I write a fabulous comment
Then you go and die.

LOL!!

If you want to hear the real song, go here.

Let's hope Blogger is calm and happy today!

Charlie says: Today I watch Bird TV.


Nearly Friday, bloggie friends!!!

My secret book on the side

Bloggie friends!

I have a confession!

One of the most common question asked around blogosphere is “what are you reading now”?

I’m ashamed to say that while I continue to plough through the sci-fi anthology I’ve been reading for nearly two years – ahem – I also have a secret book going on the side.

The book is about the only thing keeping me awake during my long commutes to and from work. Yet I’m so embarrassed I cover the book up behind my freebie newspaper whenever I want to have a glance!

But as I know you’re all very understanding bloggie friends, I thought I’d come clean and share with you my little secret.

Here’s The Book.


Please don’t judge me!

Charlie says: I have my own dot.



It's nearly the weekend, bloggie friends! Huzzah!

Stories of Victorian Webs

A short story - shelved - for over a year. It was a story barely alive. Bloggie friends, we can rebuilt. We have the technology. It will be better than before. Better… stronger… more readable!

With sincerest apologies to the Six Million Dollar Man. LOL!

Happy Victoria Day to all my Canadian bloggie friends!

Here is a hanging basket of mystery flowers especially for you!


Please be so kind as to ignore the cobwebs that seemed to have sprang up overnight in the background!

Charlie says: I am not amused.


Pic of Charlie taken yesterday! Happy dayz!

Ain't no mountain high enough!

Silly snail, silly snail
Crawling up my door
Silly snail, silly snail
Don’t you belong on the ocean floor?
If I ask you, silly snail
Why you do what you do?
Will you reply, like George Mallory
And tell me, “Because it’s there”?

Charlie says: I prefer fish.


George Mallory (mountaineer, 1886-1924) when asked "Why do you want to climb Mount Everest" allegedly replied "Because it's there".

Have a great day and weekend!

Delusions of grandeur

Bloggie friends!!!

I started writing a blog post about my sweet elderly neighbour but then the post grew into a proper story!

So forgive me please and understand the writer in me cos I seriously did think “Gosh darn it, this is far too good for a blog post – no I can’t share , I won’t, don’t make me but when it's published, then I'll share, oh yes I will!"

LOL!

Who says blogging isn’t inspirational?!?! Who says I’m not a paranoid selfish delusional crazy person?!?! :-)

Charlie says: I just lay here and wait for next door to call.


Have a fabulous mid-week, everyone!

Mess of Eton

Bloggie friends!!

You are all so wonderful that I made a big batch of Eton Mess in your honour!

Eton Mess – mash up some strawberries with a dash of sugar, a drop of liqueur, mix with crumbled up meringue and add a good dollop of low fat soya single cream alternative.

H-E-A-V-E-N in a bowl.

Charlie says: I give you more evil eye.


Today the lovely Ann Best launches her memoir In the Mirror. I’ve ordered my PRINT copy and look forward to receiving it. Yay!

Have a peaceful day!

I'm a published poet! LOL!

Bloggie friends!

I’m so tickled pink!

One of my haiku poems got accepted for publication with New Sun Rising: Stories for Japan – the charity anthology whose sale profits will go to the country’s earthquake relief efforts.

And I’m totally dumbfounded because the editors picked what I thought is the weakest - and yet the most personal - out of the five I sent.

So there you go! Sometimes wearing your heart on your sleeve, works!

Charlie says: There's something fishy going on!


Enjoy your day!

Oh the inhumanity!

Hello there bloggie friends!!!!!

Awwww Charlie and I got so cut off from y'all for NEARLY TWO DAYS!

OH the INHUMANITY!

LOL!!! But yay that we're now all connected again!!! Blogger - you are one crazy internet creature!!

It's the Eurovision Song Contest here today - and so me and Charlie will be singing along and clapping to hours and hours of crazy songs!

Charlie says: I try to hide behind the strawberry plant but Blogger found me!


HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!! I'll hopefully catch up with y'all!

The Little People

Bloggie friends!

My work colleague was relating how one evening, she told her five year old she was happy at losing a bit of weight, only for her son to point at her belly and say, “But you still got a big tummy, mummy!”

Talk about being brought back down to earth by little people!

Charlie says: I think I hear next door preparing my snacks.


Here's to a truthful Thursday!

Sure of you

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.

"Pooh," he whispered.

"Yes, Piglet?"

"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw,

"I just wanted to be sure of you."

from Winnie-the-Pooh by A A Milne

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Bloggie friends

In March this year, one of the bloggers I follow, Jane Kennedy Sutton announced she was taking a break from blogging. Yesterday Jane’s husband posted on her blog that she died last Friday.

I’m still trying to make sense of the complex reaction I’m feeling. I don’t know Ms Kennedy Sutton personally. I’m only a very recent follower. My interaction with her was confined to me reading her posts and leaving a comment. She only posted once a week.

Yet when I read her husband’s announcement, my heart fell with a thud. I cried.

I know that having social networking “friends” may not seem real to some. But my sadness at her passing is most tangible.

I guess it’s the shock that I won’t be seeing her regular posts on Mondays any more. I guess it’s the very transient nature of this brand bad new world of social networking that’s hitting me hard too.

Take care everyone. I’m off to go and hug Charlie! x

Betwixting

Bloggie friends!!

I’ve created a new snack!

I call it: Banana and lashings of chocolate spread betwixt buttered toast. Yay!

Oh ok, it’s probably already invented but this is my staple since I’ve stared at a blank screen all weekend (yes I have!) contemplating a story to enter for the Global Short Story Competition. Do enter too if you want!

Charlie says: I put my best paw forward.


Happy Monday!

Jumpin' jumpin'!

Bloggie friends!

As Charlie jumps for utter joy
When next door dangles a nip toy
There’s not much else to say today
Except we hope you have a great Friday!

Thanks for being such supportive STARS bloggie friends!

A boo-boo!

Bloggie friends!!

Where'd Tuesday and Wednesday go?!!? :-)

Charlie says: I look only for next door.


Oh bloggie friends! I made such a boo-boo attempting to critique the first chapter of a lovely classmate's novel in progress. I ended my critique asking her questions about her main character only to realise later as I re-read the chapter that they've already been answered.

I'm so not cut out for this critiquing lark! LOL!

Oooh the spring temperature is hotting up!!

Orgasmic buns!

I refer to these bloggie friends!


A cross between Chelsea buns and Cinnamon swirls but they were the best batch I baked so far!

Charlie says: I try to hide behind the flowers.


Ooooh and just to end with this, bloggie friends:

The 100 Stories for Queensland may now be purchased from 3rd May (ebook) 5th May (print).

Thank you! See y'all soon!