If We Were Having Coffee… 1/27/19

If we were having coffee on a lazy Sunday… I’d be a day late. I  know, it is Monday. I thought I would jump in for a quick cup, though.

This past weekend was snow-free (well, just a few light flurries), thank goodness. The two previous weekends saw accumulating snow, of which I am not a fan. We are supposed to get this Polar Vortex (or some such nonsense) this week, plunging us into the subzero temps… and that is all anyone is talking about.

We finally got our Christmas tree down this past weekend! I’ve been meaning to get around to it for a while but then I would procrastinate because it is a lot of work. And it was work getting the big bulbs replaced with plastic fillers, unplugging the sections, taking the sections apart, and cramming all sections back into the box. How come nothing ever goes back into the box they way it came out?? Anyway, it is done. And the furniture is back in place. Holidays are officially over.

I finally finished the first season of You on Netflix. *Shudder* So creepy.

I fantasized all weekend about buying a new house. See, there’s this house in my town that I really love. We actually looked at it when we were house-hunting seven years ago but bought our current house instead. Current house needs some work, and husband and I are in the process of looking at equity loans to do some remodeling. Well, dream home recently went up for sale again. And dream home is SO NICE, totally updated and modern and wonderful. Why not just buy it since it is move-in ready? Why bother hassling with loans and remodels? My husband talked me down from fantasy land, of course. Moving is really not in our best interest right now. But it is nice to dream.

My daughter is eligible for her driver’s permit in one month. Yikes. I really need to get to the DMV to get her a study book so she can pass the exam. Except getting to the DMV with my schedule is nearly impossible. Maybe I should send husband. Or maybe the book is online. Even better because if she can’t view it on her phone she probably won’t look at it. I’m kidding. Sort of.

What would you tell me if we were having coffee?

Drop in and have a cup with the other Weekly Coffee Share participants here. And many thanks to Eclectic Alli for hosting.

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If We Were Having Coffee… 1/20/19

If we were having coffee I would invite you in quickly, to get you out of the cold. Snow and blustery winds have made this a good weekend to stay in with a warm beverage. This snow storm was a bit unexpected, it was supposed to track further north and spare us. Instead we got about 6 inches of snow and way more sleet and ice than I am comfortable with. My kids are loving it. I am staying inside where it is warm and I have everything I need (phone, laptop, netflix, treadmill).

If we were having coffee we would have much to talk about. It has been awhile since we’ve seen each other! I’ve not been keeping up with my coffee dates, so sorry. We would chat about work and the kids. It is funny how so much time can pass but the conversations feel the same.

If we were having coffee I would tell you how I am so thankful for this 3 day weekend. There is no work tomorrow because of MLK Jr. day. It is such a relief that I have an extra day to relax. And to give the crews time to make the roads safe to travel.  The peace of mind I have knowing I do not have to drive tomorrow is huge.

If we were having coffee I would also tell you that my favorite season is upon us… cadbury mini egg season! They are in the stores! Our stores still have the disappointing tiny bags but I know the big bags are coming soon. Cadbury came out with these new shimmer eggs. Pretty, but they taste exactly the same (which is awesome, of course). Dear Cadbury people, work on having mini eggs on the shelf year-round rather than introducing these new gimmicks.

Until our next coffee date, I leave you with a picture of my younger daughter whole-heartedly enjoying her snow day. She is going to kill it on the slopes next month.

Weekend coffee share is hosted by Alli over at Eclectic Alli. Join in and have some coffee with the other participants here.

Bombs away

” Battle stations stat! Weapons ready!”

It was near. They could hear it sidling, tentacles rustling along the ground. It suddenly came into view as it let out a low, otherwordly, groan.

“Fire!” They shot at the creature but it shrieked and raised up, doubling in size.

Wide-eyed, the battalion scrambled. “We need more power! Get the bomb! Get the bomb! Throw it!”

Bobby closed his eyes and lobbed the bomb at the beast.

********

Mother came running at the sound of shattering glass.

“My door!” She glared at the three sheepish boys.

They would rather take their chances with the alien.

 

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

Written for Friday Fictioneers. Thanks to our lovely host, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Check out the other 100-word nuggets of fiction here.

 

Jar of Regrets

 

In the quiet, empty house, Michael read the notes with growing dread.

He had never appreciated the jar exercise. Just another silly thing the marriage therapist suggested. Jill had faithfully poured her heart out on the colorful scraps of paper and stuffed the jar full. Michael never understood it and he never read them.

Until now.

The notes in the bottom of the jar were lengthy and hopeful, conveying wishes and needs and things Michael didn’t know. The notes scattered on the table were curt and agitated, obviously more recent.

The last paper he read said it all: DONE. GOODBYE.

 

PHOTO PROMPT © Priya Bajpal

Written for Friday Fictioneers, thanks to our lovely host Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. See the other 100-word stories here.

 

Just Breathe

It’s been a doozy of a work day, folks.

It’s One-Liner Wednesday in Linda G Hill’s Just Jot It January Challenge

#jusjojan

#1lineWeds

Waiting

For the Just Jot It January challenge.  Today’s prompt, Memento, comes from Tara at Daisy Smiley Face.

 

My day will come, I know it.

I’ve been here so long,

waiting patiently.

She used to hold me lovingly,

touch me with great care.

Those days long past were mostly good,

but there were also tears.

Can’t have one without the other, it seems.

She will come back to me.

Her favorite momento,

I wait for her to want me,

to need me,

to get lost in the memories that I hold.

 

 

The house that 2018 built

You don’t know how many times I have thought that I should just quit this blog.  It has been an embarrassingly long time since my last post. As the months roll by, it gets harder and harder to motivate myself to create new content. Easier to just give up, right? Kind of like exercising… but I’m trying to get back to that, too.

The new year is always a good time to evaluate and prioritize with fresh eyes and renewed spirit. I can’t promise 2019 will be any different than 2018, but for at least today I feel like I have a clean slate.

I’m not sure exactly where the wheels came off last year in terms of my blog. I think life just gets busy. My head gets cluttered, my anxiety increases. One of my daughters started high school in the fall. Man, did that blow up my schedule. Marching band ensured that we had no free weekends between mid-August and the beginning of November. She had her first Homecoming which required dress and shoe shopping and a very busy day of (between band duties at parade/game and transformation for the dance). My younger daughter started middle school last fall. Much like with the older, it has been an adjustment. I’m not sure why 5th grade is the seventh circle of hell, but it 100% is. The school, the teachers, the kids, the hormones, the attitude – sucky, all of it.

We also cut our cable last spring, becoming one of those streaming-only households. For the most part, I love it. However, I think it is bad for my writing. Before, with live tv, I would just turn it off when there was nothing on. Now, between netflix, hulu, and amazon prime, there is always something on. More content than I can probably watch in my lifetime. I have discovered more tv series and movies and have binged, binged, binged. Eight seasons of Shameless? Yes! Eight seasons of Weeds? Absolutely! Rewatch Schitt’s Creek for the umpteenth time? Bring it on! I’ve also abandoned radio and switched to podcasts during my (long) commute. With radio, I could daydream and build plots and characters in my mind. The podcasts keep me focused and engaged. Again, bad for my writing but wonderful for my entertainment (and makes me hate my commute much less). I have 60 podcasts on rotation, but my favorites are Lore, The Moth, My Favorite Murder, This Podcast Will Kill You, and Pod Save America.

Basically everything brewed into a perfect storm that obliterated my already-shaky writing routine. I doubt I can reduce my podcasts, but I vow to work on my netflix addiction. Oh, and I have to teach my daughter to drive. She gets her permit in 7 weeks. I’m planning a ski trip in 6 weeks. It is girl scout cookie season. This is why I make no promises for this blog.

Best wishes and warmest regards for 2019 (seriously, if you haven’t seen Schitt’s creek, you really should). Hope to see you soon.

I’ll leave you with my #topnine #bestnineof 2018