27 Sept 2013

Pumpkins for Cathey

Hello,
It’s been too long since I posted here at the Island but today I am changing that. I still check in to see what everyone is up to and I love following you all, your crafts and lives are pretty great! (understatement)
But today is dedicated to so many things! It seems September is the day for raising money for charity, celebrating birthdays, retiring, going on maternity leave, and celebrating life in general with all its ups and downs.

Pumpkins for Cathey>

One person in particular, who this post is for is Cathey at The Pumpkin Patch, and to show that we all support and appreciate her and wish her a Happy Blogoversary here is my pumpkin! I stitched this one Halloween and never knew what to do with it, but now its found its destiny :D

26 Sept 2013

MWBB Week 32: Sabotage

The song chosen was 'Rumble in Brighton' by The Stray Cats

He stepped out into the cool overcast night. The metal heels on his wingtips clinking against the tiled doorstep. He pulled the door to his childhood home shut and was took a breath. With his guitar slung effortlessly across his back, his new leather jacket creaked as he raised the collar to his chin, he shoved his hands into his pockets and walked with scrunched up purpose to The Gabardine Club.

He didn’t look up until he turned onto the street of the club and only then did he notice the rain. It was coming down in sheets, the wind forcing it to fall at an acute angle, it pummelled everything it came into contact with and had begun to pool alongside the kerb as the drains could take no more. The rain slowly seeped into his consciousness and yet he still doubted its existence. His jacket still open, he pulled at the clothes now plastered against his body and ran his fingers through his sodden mop of hair. He stayed standing in the street not wanting to seek cover from the elements but rather relishing the combination of the strong ice wind, the prickly stinging rain and the arthritic damp as it slowly entwined around his legs as it rose from his water filled shoes.

He wanted to hold his arms up and his hands out and laugh loudly and maniacally at the universe for bringing this downpour. Its severity would no doubt be on the news and no-one would be leaving the dry comfort of their homes regardless of how important tonight was for him. He saw the door to the club open and the head of Johnny Big Guns poke out.

‘HEY! HEY! Danny! Bloody ‘ell man, get in ‘ere pronto. We’re all waitin’ for ya!’

Danny made a dash for the door as Johnny held it open for him, ducking inside he was instantly met with a wall of people, and he sidled by them all to the stage. As he removed his guitar from his back he noticed that it had been functioning as a bucket in the rain and his heart dropped, he couldn’t perform without music. Disappointed he left the guitar on the stage and headed to the bar to tell The Gabardine Club manager that he couldn’t play tonight.

‘What? You mean I stopped all these people from going home by promising them that the next big thing was playing here tonight and you’re telling me you can’t? Why not? If its nerves Danny, you really don’t need to have any, you’re good. You’re really good.’

‘It’s not that. My guitar...the rain…sorry…’

Danny headed towards the door; he didn’t have money to spend on drowning his sorrows so there was no point sticking around. Torrential rain pour had to be better than an angry crowd. As he reached the door Johnny Big Guns stopped him.

‘Boss wants ya’

Danny looked back to see the manager beckoning him back over.

‘Yeah’

‘Yeah?! Don’t yeah me Danny, d’you hear? Look, there is no way I can disappoint the crowd in here, the place has never been so ram packed and you know the talent agent from that label is in tonight too, don’t’ ya?

Danny knew about the agent. It was the reason he was late. He wasn’t sure what he would do if the agent liked what he heard and he wasn’t sure what he would do if he didn’t. He had purposely taken his time in getting ready only prompted to leave when his dad had banged on his bedroom door.

‘What you doing in there Daniel? You trying to self-sabotage again. I’m telling you this for your own good, but if you don’t go there tonight and give it some welly then you can find yourself a proper job or start looking for somewhere else to live. I’m sick of all your talking and no action.’

Danny knew his Dad was right. He always did this. It didn’t matter what the occasion but if he could find a way to sabotage himself then he would. He didn’t know why he had so much fear of success. He was as fed up with himself as his parents were. Tonight would be different; nothing would stop him from finding out once and for all if he could make it.

‘Danny…Danny! You listening?’

‘Yeah, sure, yeah. If I had another guitar or…’

‘You’re in luck, I always keep a spare, now get a bloody move on. The punters are starting to get rowdy again.’

Danny stood at the mic, guitar in hand, still soaked through, a lump in his throat, dry mouth and the shakes. He wasn’t entirely sure if the shakes were from the rain or the nerves and he opted for rain. The sea of people in front of him chatted to one another as they waited, he leant forward,

‘Good evening…who’s ready to rock? I said…WHO’S READY TO ROCK?!’

The crowd roared.

14 Sept 2013

Hullaballoo!

Hello,

I have resurfaced again. I apologise for the huge gap between posts but I have only recently purchased a new laptop to replace the stolen one. The drama of the burglary is ongoing and I had hoped it would all have been resolved but sadly not. I keep getting told that I should write a story which incorporates my experiences of late and maybe I will...just not today :)

I mentioned in my last post that it was my 300th and that I would come up with a better post to commemorate it but I haven't.

Some stats to keep you going for the next 100 posts!

This blog was started on 24th February 2012 ready for the A to Z challenge starting on April 1st.
Its original name was 'Suddenly Seeking Blogs'.
After the blogging challenge my first post was: May Day
The most popular blog from posts:

The first poem I ever posted: The Visit
The first flash fiction I ever posted: Five Sentence Fiction: Composure
The first poem I recorded and someone put to music: Sweet Music
Most commented on: FSF: Devotion (the third in a set of consecutive FSF)
The first comment I ever received
(posts 1) in response to: Suddenly Seeking Blogs (first post)
You're really just at the beginning of your blog life. Makes me sound wise, doesn't it? I've only been blogging for three years and to begin with I thought I was talking to myself - something I do much of the time anyway;-) I'm sure you'll enjoy the A-Z challenge:-) Good luck!
from: Jabblog
(posts 101) in response to: Infection
I remember it well. When you came through to the arrivals lounge I nearly cried to see the state of you. By the way, you were eight years old when you told me you were going to teach in a mud hut village .... and you did. Yours proudly, Mum xx
from: mansew (no blog)
(posts 201) in response to: Roundup of last week.
Well. Have you ever licked a pigeon?
(post 300) in response to last post: Emblazoned
Well written! Brings to mind a witch burning. Your sentence structure was very playful, yet brutal. A nice juxtaposition.
Also, congratulations on your 300th post. You've almost caught me up now!
from: Addman

I think thats probably enough! If you can remember how you came to find my blog then please let me know in the comments below...I'm off to do laundry and write something better than this ;)

Before I go....this made me laugh and maybe you will too! or at least groan :D




6 Sept 2013

Emblazoned

I havent blogged for a while...and so here is some flash...cant think for the life of me where I got the inspiration...? It is my 300th post too! Summary in the next blog post :) Have a great weekend.

 

The fire lapped at her feet, burnishing her toes as they worked their way up her calves, seductively entwining and clinging to her limbs as they dragged their destruction to her torso.

 

The blistering heat smothered her organs and they shrivelled under its duress, turning her into a smouldering human rattle.

 

Flames tickled her décolletage creating a necklace of pyrographic graffiti all the way to her dimpled chin.

 

Her face a molten mask of what once was, caused the fire to crackle, as her tears met in battle against the relentless foe.

 

Her eyes closed in finality and were instantly sealed shut.

 

Her last thought became ash and crumbled to the floor.

1 Sept 2013

Seriously....

Hello...How are you?...I'm officially fine...unofficially I have been upended and then upended again and am now swaying gently in the breeze.

I got ahead of myself last time when I said how great September would be...it was too soon for me to say such a thing, what with it still being August for another day.

My niece was two on Saturday, and instead of staying in having my usual lazy Saturday I went to my sisters for  a BBQ. It was a nice afternoon and it was relatively chilled out. Then I had a phone call to tell me that my house was on fire.

Dad: Hello, where are you?
Me: Emmas
Dad: Get home now! Your house is on fire.
Me: Ha Ha very funny!
Dad: YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE!
Me: I SAID...HA HA VERY FUNNY!
Dad: Joan rang me...
Me: Ok, I'm leaving now.

I arrived home within ten minutes to find smoke still billowing, three fire engines, and ambulance and police and everyone who lives in our little row standing outside their houses.

I discovered that the fire happened when my neighbour had a BBQ and went out to the shop leaving it alone and his girlfriend was still in the house. I spoke to him some time later and he told me that the person in the house had tried to put it out but couldn't and had instead fled the house and sat sobbing at the end of the street!

The damage was to the conservatory and the side storage shed that runs parallel to the house, all of it cinders,, my cat Muse was nowhere to be seen. The shed was mainly full of tools etc. but I had stored my Christmas things in there. Being a Christmas fanatic I have quite a lot...well I had...I am disappointed as all my cross stitch Christmas exchange pieces that I participated in last year and the year before were in there and are now no more. Stuff like that gets to me more than the conservatory. I did lose all my books too but that's life I suppose.

Eventually, Muse came out of hiding when she get wet and the relief was overwhelming, I know she is just a cat but she's my cat and is now staying with a neighbour.

I was advised to stay somewhere else just for the one night and after it was secured I went to my mothers.....

I woke up early this morning and went to check the house, having been in it the night before I had been so relieved that it was ok, and only smelled smokey. When I stepped into the house I realised that in my absence I had been burgled. If it wasn't my life it would be quite funny! It was just plain annoying and I have spent most of the day with police and the crime scene officer. One random item that was taken was the remaining cross stitch exchange piece that I had swapped at Halloween, I had been using it as a book end, I guess the burglar knew quality stitching when they saw it!

My sister seems to think it has something to do with having a black cat and living at number 13 but I think it is just unfortunate that I happen to live next to moronic neighbours and then near to opportunistic burglars.

Anyway, we can add a bow on this post as I was only unemployed for 40minutes on Friday and start my new job in the morning! Yippee...the clouds are clearing ;)

My next flash fiction may refer to stupidity, neighbours, unbelievable, opportunistic, fire and disappointment...so just wanted to warn you all! lol

I will try again...raise your glass of choice (I have baileys!) and join me in toasting better days :)

Kate xx
 

Challenge 39: Watch 50 stand up shows (DVD or LIVE)

So I have been keeping notes on all my challenges and updating as and when something happens to move towards that goal, this is the notes fo...