MULTIPLY Creative Challenge #30: Appreciate and Adore

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I’m Nera the cat Just adore me, I’m fine
You must take a look at me, everything’s mine
My fur is just perfect, it’s shining like silk
My teeth are so pearly, so white just like milk
I am the best, and my eyes are so yellow
My voice is so smooth, it sounds like a cello
Some humans might say I eat to much
But I think I am fine with my sleeky touch
If I walk down the path all the cats are just looking
“Hey sexy” they call “what have you got cooking?”
I pay no attention, I am just the best
I look down upon all, they are just the rest
Mrs. Human might say I am getting too fat
but I think I am perfect for a long haired black cat
I sway when I walk, that’s my sexy way
I could look in a mirror all the long day
In Summer I collect snails which isn’t so fine
Mrs. Human cleans me up, I am just so devine
Some people might say my fur is a mess
But they are just jealous, I have such success
Please do not touch me, I am very fragile
I am here to be adored and not to be agile
I am so appreciated, the other cats look
I am number one, it’s written in my book.

Creative Challenge #30: Appreciate and Adore

A Short Winter Walk

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I am still only working half days so yesterday afternoon I had to quickly go to the vets to collect something for a friend of mine. She lives on the other side of town and as we work together it is easier for me to pick up the stuff and bring it into the office for her (and her 9 Kilo Maine Coon cat of course). I would have taken the car, but it is always difficult to find a space to park it and the walk is supposed to be healthy - so my doctor says. I, of course, took my camera with me and at last managed to take a photo of our local castle, Waldegg, in all its size and shape. As we are now approaching Winter and the leaves have gone from the trees the view is much clearer. The castle was renovated about ten years ago and you can also have a look inside. It has become quite popular for wedding photos over the last few years.

Around the corner from the castle is our local church.

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It is a roman catholic church but the graveyard is for all village members. After all in the next world we are all equal. As can be seen there is still some snow left from last week. It has been so cold that it has not yet melted away; luckily the roads are clear and the pavements. From the church I turn the corner into the street where the vet is.

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These trees have always fascinated me. Being from London I only knew mistletoe at Christmas from what we bought from a market stall. I had never seen it growing. It seems to be quite common in Switzerland and the little bushes growing out of the bark of this tree are mistletoe. Mistletoe is a parasite and lives off the trees. It does not seem to do any harm as the trees are very old.

I arrived at the vets and picked the stuff up I needed. On the way back I managed to capture this photo over the top half of our village.

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It was starting to get dark and the sun was pushing through the clouds. It was also getting colder so I was glad to be almost home.

At the moment there seems to be a bit of a Christmas stress in the air. Mr. Swiss was out yesterday celebrating with his fellow musicians in the jazz group he plays for. I am out tomorrow evening with my first aid group celebrating and in the office the Christmas party is being organised, but I will probably not attend. Everyone means it well, but gradually I would just like to switch off a bit and take it easy. Even the cats seem to be sleeping more at the moment. During the day I just see them sleeking around looking for some different sleeping quarters. Even at night their walks are restricted to fifteen minutes at the most. Can't really blame them in the minus night temperatures we have at the moment.

The Swiss are getting ready for their annual voting of next years government. We are so completely democratic with our seven ministers, but they all have to be revoted each year from the parliament. One of the seven ministers is stepping down so we have a bit of excitement choosing who will take his place. Will it be someone from Zürich, from Valais or from the French part of Switzerland. The minister leaving is from Kanton Bern and many are sorry to see him go as he will not be replaced from someone in that Kanton. For someone not being Swiss this is all mumbo jumbo I know, but for the Swiss it is their annual excitement. I follow the happenings, but eventually it does not really bother me, income tax we have to pay all the same. Last week-end we had voting on a few referendums, which were all turned down, so that was a lot about nothing.

Mr. Swiss is out this evening on a rehearsal with the band, so I will make myself comfortable with a book (or perhaps the computer - who knows?)

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MULTIPLY Pictures To Words - Segments Week 5: Uncle Tom and the cats

„Well, here we are Robert at last.“
“Yes, it seems funny to visit the house now that Uncle Tom is not longer amongst us.”
“Well it certainly has a big garden” and Carol was not so sure that taking over a house with so many trees and bushes to look after was exactly what she wanted.

Carol and Robert had been living long enough in the city where they were confronted with air pollution and untidy streets every day. Robert’s uncle Tom had disappeared and Robert was his only heir to the house and fortune. After all Uncle Tom was a millionaire. Although officially he was not entitled to taking over the heritage yet, he decided to stay a few days in the house with his wife. They also took their dog, Trixie with them, as she was part of the family. .

The suitcases were carried into the house from the car. It was mid autumn and the steps to the front door were covered in leaves of red and brown hues. Robert opened the door with the key he had received from the lawyer’s office. A smell of dust and stagnated air hit them from the house interior.

“Robert, the first thing we are going to do is to open all the windows and air this place out a bit” said Carol and she went to work opening windows and doors in all the rooms.
“Carol come here and take a look, I think we can use this room as our bedroom. It’s nice and big and it seems this bed here will be just ideal for the both of us.”
“I am sure it is, Robert. Look at the mirror in the wall over there, it is enormous.”
“Well at least we can see ourselves full length in it. I quite like it” said Robert, although Carol was not of exactly the same opinion. Having such a large mirror opposite their bed was a bit scary to her.

Suddenly they were interrupted by a loud bark and the noise of dogs feet. Trixie the dog had decided to enter the house and do some exploring. The mirror seemed to particularly interest her and she kept sniffing and barking at it.
***********

“No Mrs. Human, I don’t think that is a good way to start the story.”
My big black cat Nera is at the computer again and reading my “Picture to Words.”
“Nera, you don’t know what is coming next.”
“Mrs. Human, I don’t think you do as well. You have been looking at this picture for three days without having an idea for something to write.”
“She’s right, Mrs. Human,” said Tabby her sister.
“And I object to putting a dog in the story” piped up Fluffy, the smallest of the cats.
“Cats, this is my story and I will write into it who I want.”
“But not a dog, Mrs. Human” they all said together.
It was true, I was having a problem with this picture. It just did not inspire me in any way, but I had now started and was hoping that the ideas would come as I write.
“How comes a room with a large mirror is going to be the bedroom. I would write the mirror out of the story or put it in another place.” Said Nera “mirrors are stupid things anyhow; they confuse us cats and we think we are being watched by other cats.”
“Now you have given me an idea” I said to Nera, so I will continue writing my story.
“Well I hope something exciting is will happen” said Tabby, “up to now it is a story for falling asleep.”
**********

That night Robert and Carol spent their first night in the house. Carol did not sleep so well. She just could not get it out of her head that somewhere Uncle Tom might be watching them. She was glad that Trixie decided to make herself comfortable on the floor in front of the mirror. Carol just felt a bit safer.

The next morning Carol made some breakfast.
“Carol I think I will like living here. I slept like a log last night and you?”
“No Robert, I did not sleep well at all. I just don’t like that bedroom with the mirror opposite the bed. Thank goodness Trixie decided to stay there.”
“I was going to mention that Carol, I don’t think it is a good idea that a dog sleeps in our bedroom. In future she can sleep in the downstairs rooms.”
***********

“You call that exciting Mrs. Human and Nera spoke up again. “So we have a dog that has to sleep in another room which should have been done in the beginning and a Mrs. Human that had a bad night. If humans slept like us cats, they would never have a bad night.”
“Nera you cannot compare a human sleep to a cat nap, and there will be a surprise coming soon in the story.”
“Nera, I think I will have a sleep. There is nothing in this story to interest a cat up to now” and Tabby curled up and closed her eyes.
“You know what I think” said Fluffy
“What you think does not interest me” answered Nera “little white cats with curly fur should be seen and not heard.”
“Yes, but I just wanted to say there is something with the …..”
“Still now Fluffy – let Mrs. Human get on with her story.”
“Thank you cats, then I will continue.”
**********

“You know Robert, I quite like the house, but despite opening the windows and letting fresh air in, there is just a peculiar smell around and it seems to be strongest in our bedroom. I think that mirror has something to do with it, after all Trixie keeps scratching the floor in front of it.”
“Well ok, Carol I will have a closer look” and Robert went up to the bedroom followed by Carol and Trixie who went straight to the mirror.
**********

“You see Nera, that is what I wanted to tell you. There is something wrong with the mirror.”
“OK Fluffy, so big deal. Whatever has happened I am sure the dog did it.”
“Cats, leave the dog alone. If I had put a cat in the story it would have just slept through the whole thing.”
“Mrs. Human we cats need at least 12 hours sleep per day, and we certainly would not have bothered scratching in front of a mirror.”
***********

Robert had a closer look at the mirror and found it had hinges on one side.
“Carol I don’t think this is an ordinary mirror. It is more like a door; and sure enough he found a lock on the other side. By now Trixie was sniffing and scratching and jumping towards the mirror.
“There is only one thing to do Robert, either break open the lock or break the mirror.”
“Now don’t let’s be so drastic Carol. This door has probably not been opened for years.
Carol just felt uneasy about the locked mirror door and called the locksmith in the village. He arrived in the afternoon and went to work on the door.
"What do you think you are doing" said Robert when he saw what was happening and turned quite pale.
"Robert, I called the locksmith to find out what is behind the mirror. It was disturbing me."
The locksmith opened the mirror door and what did he find?
**********

“That is exactly what I meant Mrs. Human. I know what he found, but Nera and Tabby wouldn’t listen to my wise words.”
“OK Fluffy, so what did he find.”
“That is quite simple Mrs. Human. Are you listening Nera and wake Tabby up? He found a chair behind the mirror and who was sitting on the chair.”
“I know” said Tabby “a dog. That was why the other dog kept scratching at the mirror. She smelt dog.”
“Stupid tabby cat; of course, she didn’t smell dog. She smelt meat, well sort of. Uncle Tom was sitting in the chair of course.”
“Bravo Fluffy, now you have spoilt the ending to the story.” I said
“Well not exactly Mrs. Human. You could write about Robert having debts and no money and had visited uncle Tom a week before to ask for money. Uncle Tom got annoyed, they had a fight and Robert hit him on the head with something heavy. Uncle Tom was dead and Robert hid his body on a chair behind the mirror. Tht was why he got worried when the locksmith was opening the mirror door. Then the locksmith called the police as it seemed a bit suspicious and Robert was arrested and put into prison. “
“Brilliant, Fluffy, but you forgot something” I said “Carol knew what had happened, but she didn’t know that Uncle Tom’s body was behind the mirror. She thought Robert had buried it in the garden. She didn’t really care, but just wanted the inheritance. She kept quiet about the murder of course and inherited the house and fortune and left Robert to his prison sentence.”
“That was exactly what I would have written” said Nera “writing stories is really not something difficult. You just have to have a few good ideas.”
“You know what cats, in future write the stories yourself – I give up.”

Pictures to Words - Segments Week 5: Uncle Tom and the cats

MULTIPLY Writer's Block #52: The Girl in White

Driving home for Christmas was not fun in the snow, basically Jean hated it. She was longing for the warm spring and summer days when the roads were clear, no dangers of sliding on ice or ploughing through the snow. In the warmer days you can brake and the car comes to a clean stop not travelling any further. Braking on ice was something different. You never knew whether or when the car would come to a stop. She had to admit that the scenery was beautiful with the snow flakes feathering down and in the evening if you were lucky you could see the polar star to guide the way.

She said her goodbyes to her colleagues in the office and had a few drinks, but alcohol free. She did not want to risk more; it was bad enough driving through the snow in her normal physical condition. The way home was fairly straightforward although she had to drive through some valleys and over a few hills. She climbed into the car and drove off, the wheels turning on their own axis at the beginning before they had freed themselves from ice on the parking space. After crawling on the road surface for a few miles, she was approaching the tunnel and saw a figure standing at the road side. It seemed strange to find someone standing there waiting for a ride. Jean decided to pull up and offer help as she was sure it was not very pleasant in the cold snowy weather and she would also have someone to talk with.

As she got nearer she saw that the person needing help was a young lady dressed in white. She was wearing a long dress trimmed with white lace and was wearing a white knitted shawl over her shoulders. Her head was covered by a long white veil. It was a strange apparition standing at the road side and Jean pulled over, weaving her way through the snow flurries.

“Can I help you” she asked
She was answered by a nod of the head from the figure in white.
Jean took the answer as being in the affirmative and although she had had quite a few problems with the roads up to then, she decided that going through the tunnel would not be so dangerous.
“Just climb in and I will take you through the tunnel. It’s not the ideal weather to be walking at the moment.”
And then the figure in white spoke in a quiet voice. “I am on my way to a wedding at the church on the hill just over the tunnel. I feel quite comfortable travelling through the tunnel as I know the way very well. I have often travelled through the tunnel. I know every stone and every turning, mile for mile. Jean took a glance at the young lady and noticed she was looking through the front window of the car all the time.

“Now we are entering the second mile” the girl in white said “you can tell by the way the air is changing, we will soon be out. “
“If only the weather would be better on the other side” Jean thought to herself, as she saw the exit approaching.

She was surprised when she was leaving the tunnel. The sun was shining and the snow and ice had almost melted, only to be seen on the surrounding scenery at the roadside. She turned to her passenger to ask where she wanted to leave the car and found the seat next to hers was empty. It was as if there had been no-one sitting there. This surprised Jean and she was wondering if she had been dreaming. She took a glimpse in the rear mirror and saw her passenger walking on a snowy path upwards over the tunnel towards a small church on a hill. She just did not remember stopping the car to let her out. She felt something was wrong somewhere: a young lady dressed for a wedding waiting at the entrance to a tunnel for a lift and she did not remember ever seeing a church over the tunnel before. As she drove further the snow started coming down again, but the road was no longer in such a bad driving condition. She was just glad to arrive safe and sound at home and to be with her family.

“Thank goodness you arrived safely” her mother was so relieved. “We were worried about you driving in such bad conditions. The news on the radio was very bad and we did not expect you for a long while after what happened in the tunnel.

“I don’t understand mum, the tunnel was ok and I saw no problems.”
“You probably drove through it before the avalanche came down in that case.”

“What avalanche?” she asked. “I picked up a girl waiting at the entrance to the tunnel who was going to a wedding to a church on the hill just over the tunnel and when I left the tunnel the sun was shining and everything was fine; just some snow at the side of the road.”
“You did what?” and now her grandfather mixed in the conversation. “Tell me about her. Was she dressed in white?”
“Yes granddad, do you know her?”.
“I don’t know her at all, only from the stories that have been told. She always appears when the weather is bad and takes her place in a car when invited, only to disappear again. The story goes that she was going to her wedding at the church on the other side of the tunnel. You see in the olden days most people got married at Christmas, as it was the only holidays the working population had. My own father and mother were both married on Christmas day. In that particular Winter it was so cold and snowing so hard that it caused a landslide just over the entrance to the tunnel, taking the church with it, where a wedding was taking place. There were no survivors. It seems that when she appears it is to save someone from the same fate; just an old legend that is often told. There are still some people that say the girl appears when the weather is looking dangerous. She is known as the girl in white and it seems she has saved many from the same fate.”
“Well I didn’t meet with any landslide granddad, and the weather was just fine when I left the tunnel. It only started getting worse on my way home.”
“It seems you were one of the lucky ones Jean” and her grandfather smiled.

Nothing more was said at home and Jean and her family celebrated a wonderful Christmas together. It just seemed strange to Jean when she read the reports about the landslide in the newspapers that the landslide happened at the time when she left the tunnel. Just another car driver that had some luck in the winter weather and was perhaps saved by the girl in white.

Writer's Block - Challenge #52: The Girl in White

MULTIPLY Poetry Posse, Week 10: Desire

Please do take a chocolate or eat a piece of cake
Yes, give me, I want to answer, but I cannot, that’s the ache
The days have now gone bye, when I would eat my sweets
The doctor has forbidden, I can only eat by cheats
My blood sugar mirror is up, and that is not to admire
For eating sugar and toffees is now my only desire

Buttering my bread is something I like to do
but even this is forbidden, I have nothing more to chew
I fry my meat in butter and use it for the veg
my life is now a misery, it puts me on an edge
The doctor has forbidden, I feel just like a fool
My blood is not so healthy, just too must cholesterol

Life has got so boring, it's getting so pathetic
Ten years ago I was told, I have become a diabetic
As if this was the worse, there came another bad goal
My blood was not so pretty, it has too much cholesterol
But it could be a lot worse, at least I do not smoke
And if I feel a thirst, just drink a diet coke.

What is the worth of eating, my diet is looking bad
Thinking back on the good old times, I am feeling very sad
My desires for sugar and butter are still forever there
But medicine forbids them, the doctors just don’t care
Exercise is called for, to help to keep my health
So I am training on my computer, to keep my fingers stealth

Poetry Posse, Week 10: Desire