Wednesday's Words on a Friday
The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles.
The aim of the words is to encourage us to write. A story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.
If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along and read it.
This month the words are supplied by Wise Web Woman and can be found here.
a picture of a fox and
1. mountain
2. scrabble
3. traffic lights
4. insane
5. arrived
6. lasso
7. wonder
8. gadget
Here is my story:
"Haven't we arrived yet? We've been in the car for hours." whined Rodney from the back seat. "Don't be silly Rod," said Dad. "It's only been twenty minutes, we haven't even left the city yet. Look out the window and see the traffic lights, when you don't see those anymore, you'll know we've left the city limits."
Mum said, "and after that we still have at least two hours of driving before we get to the base of the mountain range, then we can take a break and look around, stretch our legs, before we drive to the camping area where the cabins are."
"That's going to take forever!" complained Rodney.
"It's going to be so romantic," sighed Felicity, fifteen years old and discovering boys could be quite nice after all. "I wonder if we'll see any real cowboys with horses and lassos and everything."
"I wouldn't mind a bit of horseback riding," said Maureen, who was eleven, "but you can have the cowboys to yourself. As far as I'm concerned boys aren't worth it," casting a sideways glance at nine year old Rodney.
"Of course we're worth it!" shouted Rodney. "Worth what anyway? What does that mean? and why is the city so darned big we haven't even left it yet?"
"That's enough," said Dad. "Marjorie, can't you do something to shut them up?" "It was your idea to drive, George, we could have taken the train," said Mum. "But I am regretting now that we agreed to make the holiday gadget free. We could have at least brought the Gameboys for the trip, then all we'd hear from the backseat would be pings and whistles."
"For hours," said Dad. "I'd be insane by the time we got there."
"I have an idea," said Felicity, "what about pulling over by the next set of shops and getting some comic books? They're not gadgets and they'll help pass the time." "Great idea," said Mum and immediately began looking ahead for shops.
Peace was restored with the purchase of a dozen comic books and a novel for Marjorie. As they neared the mountain range several hours later, the comics were stashed under the back seat and all faces were eagerly looking out of windows.
"Mum! Look!" cried Maureen. "A fox! Up on that little mound. I've only ever seen one in books."
"George, pull over, I'll get a photo," said Mum, scrabbling through the glovebox where she'd put the camera.
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What a lovely welcome to the mountains.
ReplyDeleteReading in the car? Instant motion sickness for me.
And all our car trips were gadget free - partly because they weren't available, but I am pretty certain that we wouldn't have had them even if they were (if that makes sense).
Love your take on the prompts.
Elephant's Child; instant motion sickness for me too, although I now am able to read on buses and planes. Our trips were gadget free too, but later trips when moving to a new city, the kids had Gameboys in the back seat. K was so focused on hers she didn't get car sick, so that was a big plus.
DeletePeace reigns for the price of a few comic books....always worked on us as I remember.
ReplyDeleteonly slightly confused; the inventor of comic books knew what he was doing that's for sure.
DeleteWhen i was growing up, there was no better time for reading than on a long car trip. Very nice slice of life story!
ReplyDeletemessymimi; thank you. I couldn't read in a car when I was young, I could barely ride in a car for half an hour before throwing up. I was always the kid with a bucket on her lap.
DeleteNice story...and foxes are really cool animals.
ReplyDeletejoeh; thank you. I've never seen a fox except on TV and in books, my older daughter saw plenty when she chased them away from her chickens.
DeleteThis made me feel like I was right there in the back seat.
ReplyDeleteIn the olden days, I always had a book in the car. Even after dark, when I laid across the back windshield area, reading as we passed under street lights! Nobody wore seat belts when I was a kid! I also had comic books, but never took them in the car. Both my boys liked to read, but I don't think I would have survived without their Gameboys on a long trip!
Val; seatbelts weren't invented when I was a kid either, even after they were it was a few years still until child and baby car seats came along. all of my kids are great readers too, but the Gameboys saved a lot of bickering on long trips for us.
DeleteOh, the joys of taking road trips with three kiddos in the back seat. It was always my job to keep them entertained. That way, my husband wouldn't kill them before we got to our destination.
ReplyDeleteNice use of the words! You captured that road trip "fun" very well. :)
Susan; we didn't take a lot of road trips with the kids, usually just from one city to the next when we were moving. If we visited the grandparents, we'd go overnight and the kids would sleep most of the way.
DeleteThe sibling talk sounds familiar. A nice save with the comics. Just the sound of pages turning.
ReplyDeleteArkansas Patti; sibling talk is pretty much the same worldwide I expect.
DeleteI could never read while being a passenger in a car, either. I'd be as sick as a dog. I imagine I would still get motion sick if I was a back seat passenger...but as I only drive myself around these days and am never a passenger in another vehicle, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteFun post, River...good job. :)
Lee; I have been told by several people that once you become the driver, you no longer get ill from the motion. It must have something to do wit being in control and able to see where you are going and what's coming your way as well. I noticed whenever I was in the front seat and could see straight ahead, I wasn't sick as much, but being in the back and only seeing things flash past sideways upset the equilibrium.
DeleteSo true...never get sick driving. I would easily get sick in boats, too...except when I was the skipper. Which was fortunate when I was running the resort on Newry Island...because I was alone in the running thereof...and had to drive the boat to and from the mainland ferrying guests and provisions etc. :)
DeleteSeatbelts were considered a nuisance when I was a teen. We didn't use them until we were older.
ReplyDeleteSusan Kane; I remember a lot of parents not using child restraints until it became law because the babies and even older kids would scream blue murder at being strapped in. I remember one of my nephews refusing to sit in his car seat, he would roam all over the car even climbing on and off the drivers lap. He was spoilt in other ways too, you couldn't ever say no to him without a tantrum. I'm glad you eventually realised the safety of the seat belt.
DeleteWell done. I was inside that car with the kids and a great idea with the comic books. Brought me back to singing in the car, everyone taking a turn. And of course I spy, and adding up number plates of other cars. Car games. Lovely use of the words.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Wisewebwoman; singing in the car sounds great. We used to get told to be quiet and look out the windows on Sunday drives. Terribly boring for us and more so for the kid in the middle who didn't have a window. The Sunday drives tradition didn't last long.
DeleteHopeful this up coming Wednesday word will be present.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on