Well-Deserved Munchies

She tiredly placed the slabs of bread into the toaster and then while they fused better together, she gathered up the jar of peanut butter and pulled the glass jar of strawberry preserves from the refrigerator. Once the toast was finished, she combined the ingredients slowly, still worn out from kneading the dough an hour ago.

With a glass of milk to finish it off, she tucked into her well-deserved lunch.

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Written for Suzie’s Weekly Word Challenge: http://suzie81speaks.com/2014/06/02/weekly-word-challenge-food/#like-14758

My morning, like most Tuesdays for me, began with making bread dough as today is my Baking Day. Unfortunately, I’m still rather worn out from yesterday’s swimming so I probably won’t get as many batches made up as I normally do.

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See the World, Don’t See An Ocean

To go the distance is a wonderful thing!

Remember all the moments that had you smiling…

Away we shall drive, across the continent

Vows to make it the the next graduent.

Even though it’s the middle of the week

Live while you can and don’t be too sleek.

Sometimes it’s cheaper just to drive rather than fly.

To California now! The other way,

How long are we going to stay?

Even though we’ll be together  all the way.

Everyone will help when only one moves away.

Wow! You’ve scattered all over the place!

One to the West and one to the East states.

Recall that you’ve sent another to the South.

Let me know what it’s like going that route.

Don’t forget that wherever you go, you’re always home.

Home is where the heart is.

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Written for Suzie’s Weekly Word Challenge this week: http://suzie81speaks.com/2014/05/26/weekly-word-challenge-travel/

When I was 12 years old, my family decided to drive across the Continental U.S. to see my second eldest sister graduate from boot camp. It was the middle of exams and we only had a little money. We went anyway and made up all the exams the week after.

Five or six years ago, another of my sisters was moving to California. So the majority of my family got time off, packed her up and we headed out. Nevada is a beautiful place, but once you get through the mountains and into California near Sacramento… There are practically no mountains. I spent the entire time completely lost. I grew up surrounded by mountains, without them I have absolutely no idea where I am. Having a compass didn’t help at all. (I have slight panic attacks when I have no mountains for an extended period of time.)

I’ve been to both the East Coast and the West Coast and yet have never seen an ocean.

I’ve had a panic attack and had to spend all day under a blanket while driving through Arkansas.

Many of my family have been all over. At one point I had a sister in Germany (stationed there), a sister in Hawaii (college student), another down in the bottom corner of Utah in the middle of the National Parks there (college, again) and my elder brother over in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (mission). They were all gone at the same time and the household was the smallest I’ve ever seen in my family (there were only five of us at home: one mom and four pre-teens/teens.)

My parents did all their traveling before they had us passel of kids (Dad was in the Air Force when they first met and he was stationed in various places) so I know about places, but other than reading, I haven’t actually been to very many of them.

Well, my imagination has always been up to snuff enough for me  and I do so love to look things up and then picture them in my mind. Maybe someday I’ll actually see an ocean in something other than through a lens, but until then, I’ll listen to the stories my family can tell and enjoy every moment of my travels through my mind.

Familial Friends

He hadn’t been in her life very long.

Well, ‘very long’ didn’t mean quite the same thing to her as it did to him, but that wasn’t the point.

The point was, Mary hadn’t known Alex even nearly as long as some of her ‘short term’ friends or acquaintances back home, but he was already a very important part of her life. So that meant that his opinions were also very important to her.

“I can’t believe you said yes!”

Of course, he was also prone to overreacting in some cases, and she hadn’t quite learned how to calm him down quickly enough for her tastes.

“Alex-”

“You barely even know him!”

“Alex-”

“What possessed you to say yes?”

“Alex-”

“I mean, there’s no possible way that he is ever going to be good enough-”

“ALEX!”

Alex’s mouth shut with a click.

“Thank you. I realize that you are worried, but there is no cause for concern-”

“No cause-!” He started up again, but quickly stopped when he saw the look on her face.

“I know that you are worried, but I’m also aware that you’ve already ‘researched’ everything there is to know about Warren and if you really were against me knowing him, you’d have found some way to make him disappear.”

Alex looked slightly uncomfortable, “I wouldn’t have made it a permanent one unless he really deserved it…”

Mary nodded her auburn head, “Which is one of the reasons why I didn’t have too much of a problem with you looking into his past. The point is, I said yes. It is my decision and I have made it. Now, are you going to be an adult about this and accept my decision or should I find some way to drown you out for the next few hours?”

Alex pouted, “I don’t know why you’re always treating me like a child. I am older than you.”

“You appear older, that is all and you know it.”

Alex rolled his eyes and plopped himself down on the sofa across from her. “As far as anyone is legally concerned, I am the older one and that is what we decided to stick to-”

“What you decided.” she muttered playfully, knowing that she had won.

“-and so it makes no difference to bring anything up otherwise. Now,” Alex’s eyes began to sparkle, “Have you decided on a date yet?”

Mary groaned and put her head in her hands as Alex started talking about wedding preparations.

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Inspired by Suzie81’s weekly word challenge: http://suzie81speaks.com/2014/05/18/weekly-word-challenge-friendship/#like-14158

I just couldn’t get this little conversation out of my mind once I read the prompt! Don’t worry, Alex and Warren will have their little moment as well!

Life Moves Fast!

Most of the house is still packed from before

Only a few things left to do, although it seems like more…

Veracity of the previous statement is under suspicion.

I would really like this to be done and over with.

Never certain just when it will come, yet we’re

Going to get ready regardless.

It’s all about the timing.

Don’t give up even though it looks bleak.

Always remember that He hasn’t let you down before.

Yokes include another pulling with you!

“For my burden is easy and my yoke is light.”

Coming on up to crunch time, I’m ready!

Only a little bit of patience to be put to the test.

Me? I’m trying to do what I can.

Inside I try not to shake too badly;

Not going to let the fear and doubt in!

Got my family all around me to see this through!

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Written partially for Suzie81’s challenge this week: http://suzie81speaks.com/2014/05/11/weekly-word-challenge-life/

Also because we’ve been getting ready for a big change! Life in my family takes a long while to build up to something before it moves really fast!

Blood Family

“What is the point of this?” he asked, his voice low and even. “Why did you come here?”

She looked down, but did not answer, not yet.

In her arms was a small child, pale all over save for his eyes which were a crimson as dark as her freshly spilt blood. The child looked back up at his mother, quiet and assessing, recording her image into his mind as if he knew even at his young age that this would be last he’d ever see of her.

Finally, she spoke, her voice as soft as the wind on a clear night.

“I need a place, a place for my son, where he will be safe and can learn and grow.”

The man in front of her was silent as he thought over her words, understanding what she was asking.

She did not know his name, did not even know the name of the place they were in nor the name of her child. It was safer this way, safer for the child as well as the one she was leaving him with. Names were power in more ways than most humans were aware.

She would give anything, pay any price for the safety of her child and the man knew it. A part of her was worried, worried about what the man would ask for, but another part of her, a small part that had long since grown silent in her own home, knew that her son would be safe no matter what here.

The ritual she had performed to send her here for this short amount of time had made certain of it.

“Very well,” the man said, “I will take the boy and raise him as my own. I will never speak of you to him, never hint that he is anything but my own. You will not exist within his life if I am able to help it at all.”

She nodded to his terms. He understood and for that she would be forever grateful. Another of her family would be safe.

She hugged the child to her chest once more before handing him over to the man in front of her.

She disappeared without a trace, the blood that had been placed on the boy vanishing just as silently.

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Written for this week’s Weekly Prompt from suzie81speaks: http://suzie81speaks.com/2014/04/27/weekly-word-challenge-family/

 

Crumpled Words – Day Twenty-One

It had been a very long time since she had been happy. She wasn’t even certain if she knew what the word meant anymore. With a sigh she crumpled the paper in front of her and tossed it to the side. A few pen strokes were visible despite the ball the paper was in the shape of.

Happiness is just a word,

A sense of self that I lack

Something I wish to get back.

 

Yet I lack the strength

To cross the depths of the ford

And find my way forward.

 

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Written for two different purposes today. The first is for NaPoWriMo and only includes the poem part, though I didn’t use the prompt this time (http://www.napowrimo.net/2014/04/day-21-2/). The second is for a new challenge from someone that I’ve been following recently and have enjoyed reading her various posts: http://suzie81speaks.com/2014/04/21/weekly-word-challenge-happy/

I hope that this day has found people well. I have not slept since Saturday night and I feel so very floaty…