MULTIPLY Writing Prompt#2: Diary

Day one
New town, new job, new life – at least that is what I hope for. The hospital is much smaller than the last one where I worked, but the people are very nice. I was welcomed and put to work in the emergency ward. I like emergencies, they are so exciting and surprising and you never know what is round the corner. I met Doctor Williams, although everyone calls him Jim. He has such a friendly smile and a soothing way. I noticed that the patients are completely relaxed in his care which is a great help when working on emergency cases. He even told me to call him Jim; me, a newcomer, just an ordinary nurse on my first day. Of course, everyone else was helpful, but Jim really took care of me. Showed me where everything was, introduced me to the other members of the department and told me if I have any problems just to call on him, although I don’t think I could tell him about my problems. They would not be of interest, and I am trying to forget them myself.

Day two
There was a car accident today, and we had four casualties. It was not such a pretty sight, but things like that just do not bother me. Jim, Doctor Williams, told me if it was too much I should tell him and he would organise a transfer to another department where things were less hectic. I told him I was ok and was used to a busy life. The last thing I wanted was a transfer to another department. He actually called me into his office and I saw a photo on his desk. It must have been his wife. Now that could be a problem, but I am sure I will deal with it in my own way.

Day three
Things were quieter today so I had more time to get to know people. Jane is another nurse in the emergency and we had a coffee together. I managed to start a conversation about Jim, after all I know really nothing about him. Jane told me that his wife was a doctor in the surgical ward, mostly dealing with operated patients. She also said she was a very nice person, although that did not interest me. It seems that Dr. Jim Williams is a great classical music fan, especially Verdi operas. I registered that, might become useful.

Day four
Today I had a free afternoon and paid a visit to the local library to borrow some books on Verdi and his operas. I also bought some records. No exactly my taste, but I can live with it. The things you do to get a life.

Day five
Almost my first week finished her and am enjoying it very much. Tomorrow I have a free day and then it will be night duty. Jim is also doing the night shift, but only next week. I must try to remain on night duty as well. Today Jim asked me how I was settling down and I told him very well, although I was not so much used to life in a small town. He asked me what caused me bother and I naturally said that this town had no music theatre. Of course when he asked the sort of music I told him I prefer classical, operas of course. I also met Jim’s wife today. She called in at emergency to pick up a patient that was to be operated. I was very nice to her and gave her one of my winning smiles. I think she fell for it as she smiled back.

Day six
I spent the day at home reading about Verdi operas and listening to the music. If only Jim was with me listening as well, I am sure the day would have been less boring. I tried to sleep, imagining that Jim was curled up next to me. That trick always works and I was in dreamland in no time. I arrived for my first night shift. I was on my own. We had a couple of emergencies, mostly survivors of bar fights. It was Saturday night and there is always something to do. I noticed Jim was available on emergency call, if anything went wrong. I managed to take a coffee in the restaurant and Jim’s wife was there. Of course, I took a seat at her table and started a conversation about this and that. When she wasn’t looking I managed to slip a tranquiliser in her coffee. Poor Mrs. Jim was found sleeping at her desk early in the morning and was sent home. The plan begins.

Day/Night seven
Things are now happening fast and furious. At the moment my attention is mostly on Mrs. Jim, although it is sometimes difficult to get away from emergency. Keeping her within sight is no so difficult. She often picks up her patients from our department. She had an accident today. Slipped on a patch of oil on the floor and broke her leg. Now how did that happen? She is now a patient in the hospital. Of course, she was at once admitted to emergency and Jim came straight away. Jim likes me; after all we have the same music taste and put me in charge of looking after his wife until she was admitted into the ward. I had to give her an infusion, no problem. Perhaps it wasn’t what the doctor ordered, but it put her to sleep for the time being. Oh dear in the middle of the night she was awake and shaking – back to emergency and then the helicopter came and took her to another hospital, that was more capable of dealing with such emergencies

Night eight
I met Jane today and we naturally started discussing Mrs. Jim’s bad luck, although it was a lot worse than we thought. It seems she had too much insulin in her body (now how did she get that?), and was now in the ward for serious cases at the town hospital. It seems there was not great hope that she will survive. Dr. Jim was supposed to be doing night shift with me tonight, but he was at the central hospital in town at his wife’s side; how sad.

A week later
Oh diary I have been so busy. Dr. Jim’s wife passed away and he has not come to work, probably grieving at home over his loss. Today he was back in emergency again. Of course, we all offered our complete sympathy. It seems he is now working regularly, but that is usual. It does tend to take the mind off such serious problems.

The next day
I had a coffee with Dr. Jim. It just so happened, a coincidence, and we started a discussion about one of the Verdi operas, Macbeth. I told him it was my favourite; it really was, Lady Macbeth somehow fascinates me. Anyhow he said there was a performance at the opera hall in our nearest large town. I, of course, mentioned I would love to go and whether he would be going as well. He said it was a bit soon after his wife’s death. I told him I understood, but we could meet somewhere in the town and nobody needed to know, especially as that town was at least an hour’s drive from where we lived. There was not a big chance of anyone seeing us together. It would do him good to get out of the house and I would love to see the opera.

Next Saturday
Dr. Jim called me to his office and gave me a ticket to watch Macbeth at the opera house. He said he would meet me at the entrance in the evening. I was overjoyed. How clever I am. The first part of the plan was working. When I think back on things I have been a very lucky girl. My last job did not work so well as there were too many examinations made on the corpse and the police got suspicious. I then decided it was time to leave and start a new life in another town. Luckily the authorities never look so close into the documents and I have become quite a good forger over the years. My best luck was when I worked at the stables. The stable owner was so good looking and we almost got married. All I had to do was to give his wife’s favourite horse some wake-up medicine. The horse became really wild and when the owner’s wife wanted to take a ride she caught her foot in the stirrup as the horse shook her off his back. Poor woman was dragged through the undergrowth at least a mile. The horse was immediately shot afterwards, and who does a post mortem on a horse. The problem was the stable owner. He already had a mistress and she got suspicious, so it was a change of life and job again.

But back to Dr. Jim. I am really looking forward to my visit to the opera this evening. I am sure it will be the beginning of something new in my life.

Writing Prompt #2: Diary

MULTIPLY Creative Challenge #36: Peaceful is the Night

A layer of dark lay over the land
the night had come, and peace was in hand
someone was stirring alone in her bed
Nera the cat stretched out her head
“I’m ready to go and examine the night
Come Tabby wake up the time is now right”
Tabby her sister was ready to go
“How is the weather Nera, I hope there’s no snow”
“No Tabby it’s fine, the mice are a creeping
We must go straight away, it is finished with sleeping
“What about me” came a voice from below
“I want to come too, I won’t be so slow”
It was Fluffy awake and sharpening her paws
“No Fluffy” said Nera, “not out of the doors”
“She is right” answered Tabby “you’re not able to see
it can be very dangerous , we do not agree”
Fluffy was sad, she had no real fright
“I want to come to, it must be nice in the night.”
Then Tabby and Nera discussed it together
They decided to take Fluffy, it was now or never.
Nera walked in front, she was the boss
And Tabby behind, that he didn’t get lost.
Fluffy in between, to keep him in line
he was so happy and thought it so fine
They walked through the fields smelling the air as they went
Fluffy was happy, it was for him an annual event
“Look there is a mouse, and there a large rat
and Fluffy pounced on them, he was a real cat”
The others were surprised at Fluffy’s brave catch
“how come you are blind and a mouse you can snatch?”
“No problem” said Fluffy, “I see with my ears
I smell with my nose, the mouse just appears”
The cats walked down the path, they followed their noses
They climbed over hedges and under some roses
A mouse disappeared in the ground down a hole
“Was that a mouse Nera, or was it a mole”
Nera looked at Tabby and just shook her head,
“if that is a problem you should have stayed in your bed”
The night was so peaceful the cats had some fun
But the sun was arising it was time for a run
to their home they went and climbed back to their beds
The daylight had come and they put down their heads
Just Fluffy was wake he was proud of the night
He had smelt all the fun and could see without light
A blind cat can see with his nose and his ears
He was ready for the next trip, he had no more fears.

Creative Challenge #36: Peaceful is the night

MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #109 - Martha fills her Pockets

Kittygory's Challenge

From THE POCKET MUSE: IDEAS AND INSPIRATION FOR WRITING, by Monica Wood.
*
Imagine a coat. Imagine the pocket of the coat. Imagine what's in the pocket.

Martha Briggs was always out of bed early in the morning. It seemed in her older years she did not need so much sleep. She wore her old knitted jacket underneath her warm dressing gown. It was a bitter cold Winter and her house was not so warm, the cold winds blowing through every crevice they could find. After her breakfast she washed and dressed. It was early in the morning, but Martha had a job to do and she knew that it should be done as soon as possible.

She put on her old tweed coat. It was a special coat. In her younger days she was a dressmaker, one of the best. Even today she would never think of buying readymade clothes in a shop, but would choose the material, take out her old faithful sewing machine and design and sew her own clothes. He coat was a special construction. It had four large pockets; two placed on the hips, right and left, and two breast pockets, also right and left. She then opened the kitchen cupboard and took a large plastic bag filled with all sorts of seeds which she collected throughout Autumn from her garden. Her display of sunflowers was famous in the street where she lived and their seeds were much treasured, as well as the hazelnuts and the beech nuts. They were all collected and carefully packed in various small bags which she removed from the large plastic bag and arranged in the pockets of her coat. Now she was ready for her morning walk.

She walked along the street and entered a path which leads through the local forest. She was glad for her warm shoes as the snow was laying compact on the ground, mostly frozen from the temperatures which had sunk below freezing.
“Come, come” she said in a soothing quiet voice and scattered the sunflower seeds at the side of the path. There was a rustle from overhead in the trees and the birds came flying. Sparrows, tits, finches, even a red breast, all shapes and sizes and they pounced on the seeds lying on the ground. For a while Martha watched the birds pecking at their trophies. She then walked further on into the forest. She now took some hazelnuts out of one of the pockets and held her hand out. In no time her hands not only contained the nuts, but on each hand were perched at least two squirrels filling their cheeks with the nuts and quickly disappearing in their nests afterwards to replenish the stocks of food. Martha spent at least one hour in the forest every day, distributing the food to the animals. She herself had no family; her husband died after only two years of marriage and she never married again or had any children. After her working days were over, she retired to her small house at the edge of the forest. She soon noticed she was not alone as her garden was always filled with insects and birds as well as perhaps squirrels. It was then she noticed that in the hard winters these creatures had to search for their food, so she started to feed them.

On this winter’s day she distributed the food and started on her way back to the house. She suddenly heard a lot of noise behind her, shouting and loud laughing. She turned and saw a group of young men. They were pushing each other and generally showing a rough behavior.
“Hey lady, been feeding the birds again. What about feeding us?” they shouted. Martha walked on faster, but the boys started running and soon caught up with her. She found herself surrounded by them.”
“Well just look at the lady with the big pockets in the coat, just full up with bird seed. Don’t believe it, she must have her purse somewhere, so where’s the money lady, we don’t have a lot of time to mess around.” And one of the boys pounced on Martha from behind whilst the others started searching through her pockets.
Martha was frightened “I don’t have any money, just bird food.
“Oh dear, the little lady has only bird food – hear that boys, does anyone believe it.” And before Martha could do anything more the boys were upon her searching through her large pockets for money. What they did not know was that they were being watched closely. Suddenly it was too much for Martha, before her eyes everything turned black and she collapsed and fell onto the ground. There was a rushing noise as if the air was being stirred by a large gust of wind. The bird started flying towards the boys and they were soon upon them. The boys wanted to flee, but had no chance. They were pecked by the birds and scratched by the squirrels. Attracted by the noise the forest caretaker and his men who were working near bye came to see what was happening. They saw the young men crouching on the ground, cowering with their heads in their hands for protection. Two of the boys were crying “I can’t see, I can’t see, please help.” The men from the forest called the police and an ambulance.

Later on that day Martha regained her consciousness, although she was feeling quite weak, so the doctors decided to keep her in hospital until they could be sure that everything was back to normal.

The boys were taken into custody by the police and got their just rewards. Two of them were sent to the local eye hospital for treatment and were lucky to have been able to keep their sight after the bird attack.

Martha was also mentioned in the local newspaper. There was strange sight outside the room occupied by Martha at the hospital. The tree opposite the window to Martha’s room was full of ny birds and squirrels. Needless to say when Martha went home the animals also went back to their forest.

United Friends Challenge #110 - Martha fills her pockets

MULTIPLY Rita's "Riting" Challenge #4: Moon cats

Sitting on the wall looking at the moon, Rusty the cat got nostalgic. He loved the moonlit nights and tonight was a special moon. So big and so fluorescent he had not seen since he was a kitten. He remembered the stories mama cat told him and his brothers and sisters about the moon.
“The moon is important son, the bigger the better. If you meet your partner on a night like this then the resulting kittens are very special.”
“Are we special kittens mum” asked Rusty
“For a mama kitty all kittens are special, but yes Rusty, I met your father on such a night like this so I suppose that makes you all something special.”

Rusty had never forgotten these words, so on nights like this he was always waiting for the female cat of his dreams. He had met many female cats over the years and fathered many kittens, but he was still waiting for the special one. Rusty remembered his father, which was an exception in the cat world, as his father stayed by the mother cat forever. He was a large ginger cat, with the most striking green eyes and Rusty had inherited these characteristics from his father.

Suddenly the silence was broken and a female tabby cat jumped onto the wall where Rusty was sitting.
“Please help me” she said to Rusty “he is after me”.
Rusty looked at the tabby cat and immediately felt sorry for her. She was covered in mud and was shaking.
“What has happened to you.”
“He is following me, the big black tom cat that lives in the sewers. He wants to make kittens with me but I don’t like him. He smells and is very rough. He likes to keep his women and the kittens with him in the sewers. He dragged me down into the sewer and I fell in the water. I only managed to escape because a rat scuttled past and he decided to follow it. Afterwards I had to run for my life and that is why I am so dirty.”
Rusty knew he must do something and decided to help her lick her fur clean. Suddenly he noticed a rather strong smell in the air.
“He is here, I can smell him” said the female cat
“I can smell him as well” and then they saw him. It was a large black long haired cat. His fur was knotted in places and part of one of his ears was missing, ripped off in a cat fight in earlier days.
“There you are my beauty, did you think you could escape from my clutching claws.”
“Leave her alone, go back to where you came from. This is a lady and not one of your sewer cats.” answered Rusty.
“Well it just so happens that a ginger cat does not impress me, especially when he has nothing better to do than to help lick a female cat clean. I like them dirty, makes things much more interesting.
With these last words Rusty pounced on the sewer cat and they were locked in combat.”
The female cat wanted to help, but she was too weak from her earlier fight with the sewer cat. She then did something strange. She looked at the moon and stood on her hind legs and started to move her front paws together in a begging position. The moon grew larger, looked almost as if it would explode and then a ray of piercing light came from the moon and struck the two fighting cats. Rusty was blinded for just a moment, but the sewer cat could no longer see anything. Rusty saw his chance and launched an attack on the black cat with all his energy. The black cat cried out
“I am blind and can see no more” and smelt his way back to the sewers, which is not difficult for a cat.
“What happened” said Rusty to the female cat.
“I am a special cat” she answered “I was born on such a moonlit night as this and my mother gave me the name carried by my ancestors, I am called Basta. She told me if I was ever in trouble on such a night I just have to beg for help from the moon and help will come but only for special cats. Our great ancestor Bast still watches over his children, although he left this life many years ago.”
Rusty was very much impressed and after licking his wounds from the fight with the black cat turned to the female cat.
“Basta, I am honoured to meet you. When my mother told me that I was a special cat I did not know what she really meant, but now I do.”
And then Rusty gathered all his feline courage in his paws and knelt down before Basta.
“Basta would you like to have kittens with me.”
So what did Basta give as an answer? If you ever meet ginger tabby cats, then have respect for them. They could be a descendants from two of the special cats.

Rita's "Riting" Challenge #4: Moon cats

MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #109

Rosiebeck's Challenge

Tell us what part of your body that you like and why.
Write which way you want - funny, tragic, gloatingly or just Thankful...:)

If there was a competition for having the largest nose
Then I would definitely win, as far as the statistic goes
I blame it on the ancestors, they had it in the genes
Our family was well known to put noses in the scenes
If a friend wants to describe me to someone quite unknown
He can say it’s the lady with the big nose, she stands there quite alone
At once they know it’s me, in the center of my face
It really is unique to have one in such a place
Imagine when a germ might find its way and I sneeze
With such a volume and space, it can really cause a breeze
My nose and I are one, we have spent many years together
We like to breathe and sneeze, we brave all and every weather
And when the winter comes and the air gets very cold
It might be that it changes, into a red glow very bold
Oh nose you are my friend, I don’t care if you bark
You are just part of me, my most well known trademark.

United Friends Challenge #109

MULTIPLY Poetry Posse Week #14: Reflections

I look in the mirror and what do I see
Can that person with grey hair really be me
When I was younger my hair was so brown
The years have gone past, I begin to feel down
Looking back in reflections, I remember my youth
I grew up in a London destroyed, was the truth
On the rubble of war my playground I found
I was daring and brave, energy was unbound
We had an old house, it was not so bad
I lived so secure with my mum and dad
My childhood went quickly, then life became stern
The path is not free, for existence I must earn
I worked in the city of London, so fine
amongst men with bowler hats and umbrellas, I soon fell in line
It was swinging sixties, the Beatles were kings
Rolling Stones and The Who, they were my things
I got a bit restless and wanted to roam
I decided to go to Zürich, the town of the gnome
My feet were still marching, so I wandered afar
I moved on to Solothurn, and then met my star
It is forty years later and now have two boys
My life has been good, been full with such joys
I now have two months and my work life is finished
I have no more targets, my wants are diminished
I will now live at home and take care of my cats
They are my good friends, they sleep on the mats
So today I am grey, I am perhaps somewhat fatter
I can look back on a life, so fine that’s what matters
The future will come, but I have no fear
And who knows, I will blog for the next twenty year.

Poetry Posse Week #14: Reflections

MULTIPLY: Pictures to Words #2 - Captions

No, if you can't sleep I am not going to come and put you to bed. You are nicely sharpened for the night so go to bed like a well behaved green pencil.

You know about two thousand years from now the archaeologists will be arguing why the one in the middle fell down.

It's always the same story. The humans are arguing again about who is going to dry us up and in the meanwhile I am getting a headache.

Pictures to Words #2 - Captions

The Ice Age

Hello everyone, Nera the chief cat reporting from a small village in Switzerland where I live with Mr. and Mrs. Human. This picture shows my footprints in the snow, no sorry ice. On new years eve it snowed and then the temperatures dropped below 0°C which means that since that day the snow has frozen and not gone away. Mrs. and Mrs. Human are not very happy as they fall down on the ice - they are not as well balanced and clever as us cats. Mrs. Human is not here at the moment so I will tell you what happened on the Saturday after New Year when the humans had to go shopping again, although I don't know why they bothered. Us cats have our food at home and the cupboard is full of tuna fish in tins.

Anyhow Mr. and Mrs. Human got into their car and drove out of the garage, at least that was what they wanted to do. Unfortunately the driveway from the garage slopes upwards and was covered in a layer of ice with snow on top. Mr. Human gave gas and the car wheels turned but didn't go anywhere. The car was stuck. He then drove backwards and made another attempt, but with no good result. In the meanwhile the garage door descended onto the car. Luckily it has rubber on the edges and did not damage the car. Anyhow it went up again. Eventually Mrs. Human had to climb out of the car and guide Mr. Human backwards into the garage again. Third time lucky, and Mr. Human got the car out of the garage. This was really exciting. We cats were watching from behind the window. So now we have the car outside of the garage with Mr. Human and Mrs. Human in the garage. Mrs. Human tried to walk to the car but slid back over the ice. Mr. Human wanted to help her to walk out to the car but he fell down on the ice. Result was that Mr. Human went shopping alone and Mrs. Human gave him instructions per telephone when he was in the shop about what he should buy. Those humans can really be amusing sometimes.

Now things are gradually back to normal. Someone cleared the ice away from the garage and now it is easy to drive out of the village. Problem is no-one can walk out of the village very well as everything is covered in ice. Another piece of good news is that Mrs. Human's overgrown kitten (she calls him son) has now left us. He was here for two weeks at Catmas (sorry Christmas) and New Year, sleeping in our bedroom - we cats have our own places to sleep. I heard Mrs Human saying it was nice to have him here (she didn't ask me) although she did not see very much of him as he seemed to be away most evenings and spent the day eating and sleeping. So what - that's what we cats do all the time. Of course we now have our Winter programme. It is too cold to spend nights outside, so we just take a quick walk to freshen up the fur and then return home to sleep.

We are now all back to normal, more or less. Mrs. Human is now working all day, but I heard only until the end of February and then she is retired. That is great, then her and Mr. Human will be looking after me and my sister Tabby, and our colleague Fluffy. Although we cats are quite independent, but humans come in useful now and again for filling up the food troughs, giving us a stroke over my (our) wonderful fur and opening tins of tuna.

Another good thing about the cold weather is there is a lot of bird life in the garden looking for food. The problem is we cats cannot walk so fast over the cold stuff called ice and so they get away. As soon as spring comes we will get them.

So that is my news from our Swiss village at the moment. I can hear Mrs. Human coming so I will now come to an end. Tabby and Fluffy send their best feline wishes and so do I.

See all those birds sitting on that wire - Mr. Human took that photo from where she works. A sort of high wire cat canteen.