Wednesday's Words on a Friday



On Wednesdays, assorted people have been taking monthly turns at putting up a selection of words which is called “Words for Wednesday”.
We have taken over this meme from Delores, who had been having computer problems.
This month the meme continues here, at Hannah’s blog.
Essentially the aim is to encourage us to write.   

Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be words, phrases, music or images.   What we do with those prompts is up to us:  a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with ignore...
Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog.  We would really like it if as many people as possible joined in with this fun meme.
If you are posting on your own blog - let us know so that we can come along and read your masterpiece.
I’m hopeless at poetry so I always do a story.

It’s a fun challenge…why not join in?

This week's words are:
1. fireflies
2. checkered
3. whistling
4. solemn
5. thermos
6. sliver

and this image, which I haven't used:

Here is my story:

Belinda's face was solemn as she stared through the window at the tiny sliver of moon, barely visible between the stormy clouds rolling in. She hadn't seen any stars tonight, and soon enough even the moon would be gone. It would likely rain well before bedtime and she looked forward to the downpour.
It would match her mood perfectly. 

She turned back to the ironing board and began smoothing the pile of checkered tablecloths and napkins. 
The "Hoe-Down" style reception had been a huge success, with hay-bale seating around the dance floor, the band and square dance caller, the checkered cloths on all the little round tables, lit by hurricane-style lamps such as might be found in a barn way out in the country.

The ironing finished, she moved down the hallway to pack all the napery back into the boxes supplied by her daughter Abby's catering company.  Sebastian and Abby would be coming before lunch the next day to collect them. 

Returning to the kitchen, Belinda poured the last glassful of punch from the thermos she'd saved it in, and listened to the wind as it rose, whistling around the eaves and across the porches. It was still summer, but there would be no fireflies out tonight.

Tears pooled in Belinda's eyes and began to trickle down her cheeks. The house felt so empty now, so quiet.
Chrissy had been the last child and had left on her honeymoon with Steve as the reception began winding down.
A new stage in Chrissy's life was beginning, and here at home, a new stage was beginning for Belinda too.
She allowed herself this one night to feel down, to feel alone, to cry a little. 

Tomorrow, the search would begin for a smaller home and a real estate agent to put this big five bedroom place on the market.




 

Comments

  1. Enjoyed reading your story...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Weekend-Windup; thank you. There's one here every Friday.

      Delete
  2. Oh my, this is wonderful River. It especially hit home with me right now because summer is over and my family visitors are gone and back to work and school. You painted a lovely picture with your words once again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Granny Annie; thank you. Your house is empty now too?

      Delete
    2. Well I do have my two dogs. Plus my barn is filled with chickens, guinea fowl and cats. Never a dull moment even without company.

      Delete
  3. Replies
    1. S.J.Qualls; thank you, glad you enjoyed it.

      Delete
  4. Love Chrissy's attitude, in allowing herself some down time - before moving on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elephant's Child; it's Belinda, the mother. Chrissy is the youngest child now off on her honeymoon.

      Delete
  5. Chrissy, like the moon, the stars and the fireflies will soon return.

    Nice story, River. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lee; Chrissy will return, but to set up her own home with Steve, not to her mum's home. Belinda is an empty-nester now.

      Delete
  6. Hope you are well....from me in Bowen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Margaret-whiteangel; I'm very well, thank you. A little chilly, but that's winter. How's the weather in Bowen?

      Delete
  7. Oh, this made me tear up. Good story. Been there. :) Hug B

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Buttons Thoughts; I've been there too, but i still have a couple of kids unmarried. They no longer live with me, so I guess that still makes me an empty nester.

      Delete
  8. ... great story River... I can relate to the empty house when the last one moves out.. xxxx
    ... Barb xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbara; I waited for them to move out but they kept coming back home again. (*~*)

      Delete
  9. I always love your stories!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. fishducky; thank you :) I always love your cartoons.

      Delete
  10. And yet another well-told story. :)

    I guess that's one of the ironies of life. We want our kids to leave the nest and strike out on their own, but the house is a lot emptier and quieter without them. (So we get CATS!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Susan; and cats are also quiet and near invisible sometimes, we should get rowdy kid-like dogs instead. I probably couldn't handle a dog now though, all that walking and poop scooping.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

kitchen tip #?????

being unaccustomed to public speaking,

I've been trying to contact Haagen-Dazs