MULTIPLY Creative Challenge #28: Summer Rain

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One day we had a shower of Summer rain. It was just before I was driving home from work. As I got to the private road descending from a hill where our local castle is I saw this rainbow from the car window. I was naturally impressed, and having my camera with me as always I knew I just had to take a photo. Now it is not easy to stop the car on the road for this purpose. There can be cars approaching from the other direction and I had to park out of the way. I drove just past the entrance to the castle and parked the car on the road where it lead to just one side, so I was half on grass and half on the paved part.

This is a view of the gates to the castle. They are generally closed. If you look towards the right you can see the beginning of some grass and the road. I was sort of halfway parked on the road and the grass. So everything under control. I climbed out of the car and took a few photos of the rainbow being very pleased with the result. We often get rainbows after the Summer rain in our area. I decided my job was done so climbed into the car. I had to drive backwards which I am not very good at. There were two ladies standing near the stairs and suddenly they were waving their arms in the air. As the radio was running in the car I did not hear what they were saying. It did not take long and suddenly I felt a bump in the car. Oh dear, I had backed into part of the stones at the bottom of the stairs and the two nice ladies were trying to warn me. Anyhow driving a Volvo S 90 is always an advantage as they are strong sturdy cars. I examined the bumper and oh dear, the stone at the side of the bottom stair had cut into the metal and the metal was split.

I arrived home and took a couple of photos of the damage - I mean how can you otherwise explain these things to your husband.

My other half examined the photos and a little later inspected the damage first hand. He found that as the car was more than ten years old and had seen many kilometers we would leave it for the time being. I think we drove at least a year with the bumper having this mark, although it did seem after a while that the car was making mysterious noises somewhere in the area of the back of the car. A new bumper may have been a good idea, but we exchanged this car a couple of weeks ago for a newer one. I was glad for an understanding husband that even asked to see the photos of the rainbow.

So Summer rain is really something romantic and soothing after a hot sunny day. It's cooling effect on the skin and for the plants is really a wonderful thing, and when accompanied by a beautiful rainbow, what more could one wish for. However, on this particular day, I realised that Summer rain can have its hidden threats. I now think twice before I park the car quickly to take the photo of a rainbow caused by the after effects of a summer rain.

Creative Challenge #28: Summer Rain

Birds, Cats and Weather

This little fellow and his friends caused a bit of feline excitement in the garden this week.

"Mrs. Human, we were not excited, just inquisitive to see if they would get nearer or not" spoke Nera, my black cat
"There I was sitting in the garden just having a smell around and suddenly not only one, but at least six of our feathered victims were sitting in the apple tree, what a wonderful site."
"I noticed Nera" I said " and I had to make sure that the feathered friends did not decide to fly down to the ground."
"That was your mistake Mrs. Human, that would have been ten times better than a tuna fish supper."

That was one of the reasons I walked out into the garden as when the birds saw me, they flew away. Talking of cats I was not very pleased with Fluffy my Selkirk Rex this week. I had gone to bed and at about two o'clock in the morning there was a lot of meowing and scratching at the cat flap in the kitchen window. I dragged myself out of bed to see what was going on and what did I see?

"Let me tell everyone Mrs. Human" spoke up Fluffy, my Selkirk Rex cat
"OK, go ahead Fluffy" I said and so it was like this.
"You know Mrs. Human I was just eating some food in the kitchen and minding my own business when I felt that some unknown cat was watching me. I might not see anything, but my nose functions wonderfully and I could smell an unknown presence near bye. It was then that the smell became familiar and I knew that Roshti, the threat of the neighbourhood was watching. I sniffed up to the cat flap and realised he was sitting on the other side. At that moment when I got nearer, Roshti actually attacked the cat flap and tried to break through, but I was a brave cat and hissed as loud as possible and scratched at the flap and naturally gave a loud miaow."
"Yes Fluffy, that was exactly what I heard as I was sleeping."
"Mrs. Human if you were awake during the night and observant like us cats, you would not have had such a problem. Sleeping is something to do during the day. In any case then you arrived and Roshti was still sitting outside watching."
"I know, Fluffy, but that was when I clapped my hands and frightened him away."
"That was ok Mrs. Human, but I am sure he would have disappeared eventually because I also tried to attack him."
"I am convinced Fluffy, but I was just a little worried that you or Roshti might have broken the cat flap. Anyhow after Roshti had gone, I saw that Nera and Tabby were both sleeping at home and you were inside so I lowered the blinds to make sure that there were no more attacks from Roshti during the night and I could have a good night's sleep."
And that was the adventure we had this week during the night. Needless to say I felt a little bit tired the next day after have a disturbed night's sleep. The cats all seemed quite happy as if nothing had happened.

Otherwise my usual weekly trot. As I am still only working half days I can still take it easy in the afternoon, although most of the time I remain at home, the weather is turning colder and is a bit miserable. We have had a few rainfalls, but have been promised some nice 10 cm snow falls at the week-end. Generally week-end snow does not bother me so much as I do not have to go to work, but just this Sunday my husband has a gig with his jazz group as has to travel to one of the villages, but luckily only about 15 minutes by car, although through snow it might take longer. I might be going along as well to take some photos, but am not yet sure. It depends on the weather.

In Switzerland things are being planned for the annual government elections. As once mentioned we have seven ministers that stay in their jobs every year unless they decide to retire. This year one has decide to retire and there is a big discussion about who will take his place. The government will vote at the beginning of December, but they have about ten nominations so it will be a bit of excitement on the Swiss front. I don't know how the American bank problem has affected other countries, but Switzerland has just started showing signs. Some companies have had to cut down on employees and as we deliver to the car companies in Germany we are feeling the recession in orders being made as the car companies in Germany are not doing so well at the moment. Where I work alterations are being made, although up to now nothing drastic. I think the good times are slowly disappearing and we will all have to tighten up a bit.

So that was a little bit of new on the Swiss home front. Here is probably the last photo of Autumn from my part of Europe, the next photos will probably be a snow landscape.

MULTIPLY - Writer's Forum Find Your Muse #9 - Language Barrier

As writers we are communicators.
We use words to shape our descriptions, color our world, create things on a page.
What if your audience can not speak the language we use.
Here is the situation.
You are in a city in a distant land.
You have been separated from the group you were with.
Write a short piece about how you would communicate with the locals...
And none of them speak your language.
Oh and one more thing.
You don't have a translation book.

So here is my entry:

Where is everyone? There I was looking at the carpets in the shop and trying to decide which one to buy when everyone moved on. This is now going to be difficult.
“Hello, Hello, Can you help me? No, I am not asking for this carpet. I want to know how much is the carpet over there. Look I am pointing, that one – price?”
He does not understand a word I am saying. I give up and try to find the others.
“I am going to find my friends. You don’t have to come with me, and please put the carpet down. I have lost interest. Please go away, don’t follow.”
I wonder if I give him a push he realizes he is not wanted.
“I go, you stay” he just does not want to understand. Let’s try a few hand signs. “Where I am pointing I go. You stay here (pointing with my hand towards the ground).” The man is just nodding and still waving his carpet around. There is only one thing, run.
At last I got away, but this is getting ridiculous. Where is everyone and I don’t understand a word the people here are saying. Perhaps the children over there can help, they might learn English at school.
“Hello, have you seen any English speaking people in a group. No, I do not want to give you money for dollars, I am looking for someone. Look English money – you speak English. No the money is not for you it is mine, but have you seen people using this money?” This is getting ridiculous – they seem to be calling their colleagues and they are all looking at me with their large brown eyes and calling and touching me; nothing but away from this lot. Help they are following me. "Can anyone here speak English, or even parlez-vous français?" They only speak their own language. I am in trouble. Now run down this alley and hope they give up. Ow, now I have lost my shoe. No leave my shoe, it is mine. Or here take the other shoe and now a quick get away. Running without shoes is much quicker.
“Sorry” now I have run into one of the natives, but he is just laughing, not even annoyed and saying something. He is quite good looking, I think I will stay with him and see if he knows my language. Now he is pointing – I think he is leading me to my group. Oh no, he is inviting me for a drink in a roadside restaurant, but he has such a sweet laugh.
“Thank you, thank you, yes I am thirsty” He is still laughing, but he is saying something and all the people in the restaurant start laughing. I start laughing as well, perhaps it is a way of saying hello in this country. He says something and the waiter has come. Now I will be clever. “Look” I say as I am pointing to a coca cola bottle on another table, I want a cola. There you see I put up one finger and point to the bottle and then to me. The waiter nods, he understands at last. I have found someone who knows what I want. The man that invited me is nodding, he has also understood; success, but on no. The waiter is bringing everyone in the restaurant a bottle of coca cola and I have the bill to pay. Something must have gone wrong somewhere. Thank goodness I have money but after paying for the cola I won’t have very much more, so let’s drink it and go. My good looking partner is still laughing and nodding his head and clapping with his hands; must be the local custom when someone buys them a drink. The whole restaurant is now clapping and looking at me. I stand up, clap back, drink out my glass and go. I can still hear them clapping in the restaurant as I walk along the road, but at least I am on my own again.

And now to the local railway station, there must be someone there speaking English. I will ask the young lady with the baby in her arms.
“Excuse me, but can you tell me where the railway station is.” And she is laughing. So let’s try something else.
“You (pointing at the lady) show me (pointing to me and away from lady) choo choo (making noises like a train)” she is now laughing more but pointing to the other side of the road and signaling round the corner with her hand.
I bow my head (perhaps she understands a thank you gesture) and walk in that direction. Surprise, she actually understood my question, here is the station. We women always seem to find a way to understand each other, even if we do not speak the language.

“Excuse me sir” (talking to the man at the ticket office) “You speak English?”. He is speaking in his language as if I would understand every word, but it seems no English.
“Can I help you” said someone behind me. At last words that I understand, so I turn round. A teenager is asking me if he can help me.
“Yes, please” I say and he says “please, thank you, can I help you”
“No, please help me”
“Yes please, thank you, can I help you.”
My luck to find someone that has had two lessons in how to speak English. But I have an idea. I tell him “Hotel El Hammadi” and he laughs and he takes my arm and leads me still saying all the time “please, thank you, can I help you and throwing a “yes” in in between for good measure. I am so tired I just let myself be led and what do I see.
Now it is my turn to say “thank you, thank you” he has led me to my hotel and my friends are all waiting outside and are glad to see me. My odyssey is over I have been saved. We all greet each other, but my helper is still standing next to me.
“I think he wants something from you” said my colleague
“I don’t understand him and he does not understand me.” But my colleagues do. “Give him some money and he will definitely go away.”
I did as ordered and he said “please, thank you, can I help you” and smiling all over his face he went on his way.

The facet of the story is if you ever travel to a country for the first time, take an elementary course in the local language, otherwise you will have problems if left on your own and it could become quite expensive.

Writer's Forum Find your Muse #9 - Language Barrier

MULTIPLY - Pictures to Words - Segments Week 3 - Swimming

George and Mary Miller were the best swimmers in town. Although they were no longer the youngest, they could still swim like fish in water. Mary’s hair was no longer a deep chestnut brown, but grey and George also had silver threads, but that was not a problem. They both felt fit and still did their weekly swim in the local baths. However, something was different and soon people began to talk. George and Mary always came together for their weekly swim, usually on Saturday afternoon, but it seemed that George came on his own on Saturday and Mary would arrive at the swimming pool on Monday morning. Tongues were wagging in town and eventually Joan Smith, their neighbour, met George and Mary’s daughter Jean and asked whether there was anything wrong.

Jean felt a bit embarrassed but decided to come out with the truth to stop any rumours going around.
“Jean, is there something up between your mum and dad. They don’t go swimming together anymore and we never seem to see them in town together” asked Joan
“To be quite honest Joan they seem to have had an argument about something and are just not talking to each other any more. I invited mum and dad to dinner last Sunday, and they both came, but my husband Jack and I noticed that they just did not converse together, and were only talking to me and Jack and the kids, but separately.”

Indeed the slates were hanging crooked on the roof at George and Mary’s house. It would soon be the annual swimming race in town where all ages were invited to swim the length of the river, the winning post being at the traffic bridge. The competitors were expected to swim a certain length of the river and each year the winners, who were divided into certain age groups, were given a cup and mentioned in the local newspaper. George and Mary were always the best in their age group and either George was the first to cross the winning line or Mary. Their list of successes was equal and it seemed that they arranged between themselves who would win each year. If Jean had been at home when they were discussing this year’s competition she would have realised why her parents were no longer talking to each other.

George and Mary were sitting at the breakfast table one morning and George was reading the daily newspaper.
“Mary, looks like we should send our applications off for this year’s swimming competition in the river. Looks like I will be winning this year. My only rival is you and it would be my turn this year.”
“I am sorry George, I don’t quite understand. I am sure I could beat you easily this year.”
“Yes, that might be Mary, but I am sure I am still as fast as you are and it would be my turn, otherwise you would have one medal more than I.”
“George, I don’t think you understand what I am saying. We are both old enough to know how to win a competition fairly, and I am sure that I could overtake you this year, so I have decided to win.”
“Woman you cannot just decide to win. I am the man in the house and say what will be done.”
And so the argument began until Mary stormed out of the room muttering under her breath something about emancipation for the women and George decided he was the one that decided who did what in the family. It was basically a small argument, but in the Miller household swimming had always been a subject of importance and both George and Mary felt that their feelings had been hurt. The problem was who was going to say the first word again, but they both remained adamant. As the swimming competition came nearer, they did not even meet at the breakfast table any more and although Mary still did her housewife chores she did them in silence. George also went about his tasks as usual but also in silence.

One evening George went for a drink in the local public house and met Bob Feather, one of the swimming colleagues. Bob was also a good swimmer and so asked George how he felt about this year’s competition.
“I suppose you will win again George” he said
“Probably, yes” George answered
“You don’t think Mary has a good chance this year” asked Bob.
“I don’t think so” answered George and changed the subject talking about football or cars or something manly and Bob noticed that the air had definitely turned cooler when he mentioned Mary’s name. Bob’s wife had also met Mary in town and noticed that when she started talking about the swimming competition Mary changed the subject.

So life went on in the village and the day of the competition arrived. George and Mary went down to the starting position on the river, but not together. They were in the age group for veterans, which was an honour in itself, both being older than 60 years. They took their positions on the river bank and the start pistol was raised and the swimmers dived into the water. George went ahead swimming well, but Mary was very close behind him. When they came to the first bend in the river Bob Feather had also caught up and was swimming a good position three.

It was a cold day and the swimmers were glad for a lively race to keep them warm in the water. The competitors soon turned the bend in the river and the traffic bridge was in sight. Mary was glad as she really did not feel so fit on this day. George was still in front but Mary was catching up and he decided this cannot be, so he increased his pace to ensure his win. It was then that he felt a slight twinge in his arm. Not too bad, but enough to worry him a bit. The pain in his arm increased and he soon found he was fighting for breath. Mary had now caught up with George and was just about to overtake when she noticed that George was really swimming slower, so much that Bob Feather had almost overtaken. Bob was a good third man each year, but he was never as fast as George.

Mary felt that something was wrong, but on the other hand she now knew that her victory was certain. She was in sight of the winning line and saw that George went under the surface of the water. She stopped swimming and turned back and swam to where George had disappeared. She dived under, but in the dim light of the water could not see him anywhere. At this moment her leg became fixed and she could not move it. It had got caught in some of the weed growing on the river depths. She pulled as much as she could with the result that she got a cramp in her leg. It was then that she felt an arm around her waist and saw that it was George. She gripped George and tried her best to pull him to the surface but it just did not work. Her life flashed past her in a few seconds and somehow in her last thoughts she was together with George who was telling her not to worry, they were together and everything would be fine and winning a race was not so important as them both being together forever. Then everything went black.

She woke up a few days later and was blended by the whiteness around her. “This must be heaven” she thought, but then saw her daughter Jean and son-in-law Jack sitting near bye and realised she was in a hospital ward.
“Mum, are you ok? Jack and I were worried about you. You must have got tangled with some water plants in the River when you tried to save dad and the first aid team dived in the water and managed to drag you out.”
“Where’s George” asked Mary fearing the worst.
“He will be ok mum. He had a heart attack in the river and with his last strength he pulled you out of the weeds. The first aid team managed to save him as well, but he had to have an emergency operation as soon as they got him to hospital.”
“But he will be ok – please tell me he will be ok.”
“Yes mum, he had surgery and they had to fit a pacemaker into his heart. It seems that for both of you the swimming days are now over and perhaps it is just as well.”

When Mary was able to leave her hospital bed she visited George. She felt so guilty about what had happened but so did George. They soon forgot their argument about who was to win the River race, but who did win the race they were wondering.

When Bob Feather came to visit George in hospital it was very clear who had won. Bob was smiling all over his face and proudly showed the trophy to Mary and George. Mary and George both congratulated him and decided they would spend their remaining years together taking walks in the country side and watching the race from the river banks. Bob Feather became the annual swimming champion and even became faster than either George or Mary, but he kept that to himself.

Pictures to Words - Segments Week 3 - Swimming

MULTIPLY Poetry Posse Week 8: Time

Who invented time I wonder
It was just there to bring me asunder
In the morning at six I am awake
So come on alarm, give me a break

Time rules everything I am quite sure
I go to work and shut the door
The orders are there, I know it's true
I have to work the whole day through

The evening comes but time is still going
Eleven o'clock the hands are showing
The week-end arrives then I have peace
But Monday comes again and time does not cease

Postry Posse Week 8: Time

MULTIPLY Writer's Block - Challenge #51: The Mermaid

Joe and Fred were happy with the new aquarium in sea world. They had so many dolphins that the old acquarium was getting quite crowded. They also had problems with keeping the water fresh as the machines for the circulation were becoming outdated and kept breaking down. The new equipment was something completely different. Fresh seawater from the ocean was sucked in once a week on Monday through a large tube when the aquarium was closed and the old water was exchanged at the same time. The dolphins had less stress and so did Joe and Fred. It was their job to keep the fish happy with regular feeding times and to make sure that they were healthy.

Monday morning Joe switched the turbines on and the water was sucked in from the sea. The process needed some time, so Joe took his coffee break together with Fred.
“Yes, Fred, life is certainly easier now we have the new aquarium; more time to relax and easier to keep the dolphins happy.”
“That’s true Joe, but we still have to work. I think it’s time to check on the pool, the water should be ready by now” and the two men made their way back to see how things were going.
“Er Joe, what’s that in the pool?”
“Where Fred, I see nothing.”
“Just take a look over there between the two dolphins.”
“What the …… Fred I don’t think that is a fish.”
“Joe, it is definitely not a fish. Well I mean if you look at the bottom half it does look like a fish with the tail and flipper, but the top half looks a bit out of this world.”
Fred looked closer “You are telling me. It has something like arms, but covered in scales and, well I be blowed, it looks almost human, although the head is not exactly like anyone in my family. I think we are looking at a, well you know it could be….”
“A Mermaid” said Jo
“Yes that’s it” answered Fred “anyhow the nearest I have ever seen to one, although the mermaids in the movies and cartoons look a bit different. They have sort of long golden curls on their heads, and beautiful faces with quite a sexy, well you know what I mean.”
“I know what you mean Fred. This one definitely looks a bit fishy to me, she has long hair but not exactly blond, more sort of bluish black, and her eyes are sort of, well, you know, sort of fishy.”
“Not exactly the idea of a mermaid beauty queen, I suppose you want to say.”
“And Fred, look at the way she is playing with that dolphin, almost as if they were the best of friends.”
Fred had a closer look. The mermaid was stroking the dolphin under the chin and whispering in its ear as if they had known each other for a long time. Fred and Joe decided they should do something about the new arrival, but were not quite sure what.
“I have an idea” said Joe “if it is really a mermaid then let’s see if she can communicate with us.”
“And what do you suggest Joe, that we make a quick course in fish language and start making sounds like our dolphins. I am sure she will understand, even if we don’t.”
“Well not exactly, but food speaks all languages. Let’s throw her a fish and see what happens.” Joe then took a fish out of the dolphin’s food bin and held it in the air. With one large swoop the mermaid rose out of the water and packed the fish in its mouth and disappeared under the water in the tank where she swallowed it in one gulp. Both Joe and Fred stood in amazement. It seemed that the mermaid was not used to the air and was glad to be back in the water. Both men noticed that the mermaid’s mouth was well equipped to take a whole fish in one gulp. The mermaid lips were very thick, the sort of thing a modern film star would pay for to have formed by a plastic surgeon, and she was able to open her mouth to such an extent that swallowing a fully grown fish was no problem.
“At least we know what mermaids eat” said Fred. Perhaps she might do a few tricks for us and then we could include her in the dolphin show.
“Forget it Fred, I don’t think that would be such a good idea. She does not look very happy in the pool at the moment.”
“Great Joe, now you are the expert, how do you know if a mermaid is happy or not. With that face, I wouldn’t know if she was smiling or just mad at us.”
“Just a minute Fred” and Joe went quickly to his cupboard where he took out a camera. “At least I want a photo of the pretty lady” he said and made the camera ready.
“No, Joe, how do you want to take a photo of her when she is in the water.”
“Easy Fred, you hold up a fish and when she jumps I take the photo.”
Fred actually thought Joe had a good idea for once. So he again took a fish out of the bucket and waved it in the air. There was a noise of water rushing back and forth and the fish was swallowed while Joe took the photo. There was just one small problem. One of the dolphins had taken the fish and the mermaid looked from the depths of the pool and even clapped her scaly hands when the dolphin took the fish.
Fred and Joe looked on, a bit perplexed.
“I don’t understand that mermaid” said Joe
“Joe, it is the first mermaid we have even seen, so we don’t really know what makes them tick. How did she get here in the first place.”
The two men decided she must have arrived through the tube that allows for the fresh seawater to enter. They repeated the attempt with the camera to see if they could take a photo. This time the mermaid made a jump out of the water and took the fish, but with her scaly hand she grabbed the camera as well. Unfortunately the camera was strapped around Joe’s body and Joe was pulled down into the pool. The mermaid seemed to be very interested in Joe and tried to swallow him as well, thinking she had a new variety in her fish diet; after all our mermaid had never seen a living object with two legs. Joe was not very happy when he felt the rubbery lips on his skin.

Fred decided that this mermaid was not very friendly and he should go to Joe’s help. He dived into the pool and managed to drag Joe away from the embrace of the mermaid. The two men lay at the side of the pool both fighting for breath and feeling just a little bit frightened. After a while they looked down in the basin again and saw that the mermaid was lying on a dolphin and had her eyes closed. She was sleeping. They decided to leave her and discuss what to do.

“As I see it Joe, we have two solutions. We learn how to train a mermaid, take a few photos and include her in the dolphin show.”
“Yes, great Fred, and who is going to train her. After feeling Miss Rubberlips all over my body I am not to keen. “
“You have a point Joe, that girl has quite a strength in the water. The only reason I could free you out of her grip was because I took a fish with me and gave it to her. She was so busy swallowing the fish that she seemed to forget about you as her next dinner.”
The other solution is that she goes back to where she comes from. I am sure her family must be missing her.”
“You mean she has a family?”
“Joe, everyone has a family and I don’t think it would be a good idea if family mermaid arrives by the next tank clearance to see where their baby mermaid is and what has happened to her. The next time a couple of them mermen might arrive and we won’t have enough fish to keep them happy. “

So Joe and Fred waited for the mermaid to finish her sleep and opened the underwater entrance to the pool, but Miss Mermaid was not interested. She just jumped up out of the water clapping her scaly hands and begging for fish again.

“Joe, it seems this lady has quite an appetite. There is only one way to solve the problem. She seems to have taken a fancy to you. Put your diving stuff on and go into the pool. Swim into the sea through the tube and I am sure she will follow you.”
“Good idea Fred, but she can swim faster than me and might not let me go the second time around.”
“No problem Fred, I will stand outside with a harpoon ready in case anything happens.”
So the men got ready; Joe in his diving suit with the air canisters and Fred standing outside waiting to see if he would have to help. Joe jumped into the pool and made his way to the tube and the mermaid followed him. They both left the tube and the mermaid was just about to pounce on Joe when she was attracted by something else. Joe watched as she swam off in another direction and decided to follow. Afterwards he swam back into the pool and climbed out. Fred was waiting.

“So tell me Joe, where did she go?”
“I don’t know Fred, she just swam off” and that was the end of the excitement. The two men decided not to tell anyone about their surprise visitor as they were sure no-one would believe them.

Joe did actually see where the mermaid went. He heard noises in the water, something like a dolphin cry and when he looked in the direction to where it was coming from, he saw an old man, well really a grey haired merman, with an elderly mermaid at this side and some other mermaids and mermen. His mermaid swam over to them and the last Joe saw was that they were welcoming their mermaid back to the family.

Writer's Block - Challenge #51: The Mermaid