PROMPTuesday #43 - It Was a Bright and Sunny Day

In spite of what can only be described as serious illness, San Diego Momma, battled on to make PROMPTuesday happen for all of us inspirationally bereft bloggers. Personally, I would have taken to my bed and not blogged for a week, possibly a month. Nevertheless, SDM is made of sterner stuff and has thus asked us to begin a story with the old chestnut, "It was a dark and stormy night."

"It was a dark and stormy night..."

"I'm scared."

"What do you mean you're scared? I've just started."

"I don't like the dark."

"Oh."

"There are 'things' in it. That's why I have a night light. That way the 'things' can only lurk around the edges."

"Ummm... Alright. Well, that's okay, because it was a dark and stormy night, but lightning flashed almost continuously, lighting up the dark like a giant night light, forcing the 'things' to lurk sinisterly at the edge of night."

"I don't like lightning."

"Really?"

"It's scary and comes with the thunder too and the thunder always gives me a fright."

"Oh... Right."

"And I don't like the 'things' lurking."

"But you told me about the 'things'."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean they should be lurking in the story. I don't like that."

"Okay, okay... So it was a dark and stormy night and there were lurking things..."

"Hmmm."

"But then the storm passed..."

"Oh."

"And the sun rose..."

"Ah."

"And there was a beautiful rainbow..."

"Ooo."

"And the lurking 'things' stopped lurking and came out to play and in the bright sunlight, it was easy to see that they were not 'things' at all, but brightly coloured and frolicking rainbow ponies."

"Ooo! I like rainbow ponies!"

"I thought you might."

"I'm tired now."

"But I just started. Don't you want more?"

"No, that's okay. I'm going to try to have a dream about rainbow ponies."

"I see. Well, goodnight. I hope the ponies come and frolic in your dream."

"Thank you. Goodnight. You'd better turn the night light off. Those 'things' might be rainbow ponies and I don't want them having to lurk."

"Okay."

Blogfodder Memorial Library

We've been spending a bit of time at Blogfodder Memorial Library recently. The other day I was delighted to find this helpful instructional poster in the toilets.

I would provide witty commentary, but frankly, it's superfluous.

Just imagine my unadulterated glee when I went to that website listed on the bottom of the poster and found matching his and hers pdf versions of the poster for us all to print and stick up where they're most needed.

Never again will a visitor to your home commit the embarrassing faux pas of taking a dump on the floor in front of the toilet:


Or accidentally squat on the seat while attempting to urinate (and haven't we all made that simple error?):

My only criticism is that I think they could have been more explicit about what the decapitated gingerbread woman does with the toilet paper between somehow unfurling it from the roll with her stumps and discarding it, a pristine and delicate square, into the bowl.

Omissions like that could lead to unfortunate misunderstandings.

Grace In Small Things: 8 of 365

I have struggled lately to recognise the grace in small things. I know that those moments are there. They're just waiting for me to open my eyes to them. Geographically surrounded by ubiquitous misery, it seems in poor taste to be drawing attention to a hint, a shade, a caress, but I know that this is essential to happiness and so, when I climbed into the car with DK today, I found myself saying:-

1. I love that you've learned how to do up your own seatbelt.

2. I love that I had the door handle on this car fixed so that I no longer have to climb in on the passenger side and (carefully) manouver myself over the gearstick and handbrake to the driver's side.

3. I love this CD that's playing right now (the soundtrack to He Died With a Felafel in His Hand). 

I especially love this song that's playing:

I also love that I found this CD in a second hand store for $4.

5. I love that we now have working air-conditioning in this car and hey, I think it's actually a little chilly in here, don't you?

Sadness, Joy, Anxiety, Exhaustion, Silence

We live now in this haze of smoke which mutes the stark daylight and renders it sinister somehow. It seems the air itself is thick with the ashen weight of tragedy.

It is the pall that descends upon our upraised faces. It says, "Turn off the radio, if you will, but we are one. This smoke will envelop us all."

So we get on with life in the haze; parks and libraries and workbooks and the endless washing of dishes.

I find I am silenced too easily by the sadness, joy, anxiety and exhaustion that is life. I need to raise my voice.

Smoke Haze Sunset

Smoke Haze Sunset Over Melbourne - 8 February 2009

Flames

The death toll has hit 130 and counting. One hundred and thirty people just like you and me and most horribly, DK, died in terror with the roar of flames in their ears. They were ordinary people who made their lives in and around the towns and cities of Victoria and prepared themselves to fight, not suspecting for a moment that they would face something in scale and force that no one has ever faced before in the recorded history of this country. 

DK and I are quite safe in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. Today we went to homeschool group and the library. Our lives go on with the smell of smoke in the air.

I had to update that awful number up there twice in the time it took me to write and publish this post. I can guarantee only that it will continue to rise.

Burning

Peaking at 46.4C (115.5F), yesterday was the hottest day ever recorded in Victoria. I awoke to the all too familiar smell of burning eucalypts. Fires burned across the state throughout the day and night and continue to threaten lives and property today. I'm listening to the radio as lives go up in flames. The death toll stands at 35 and counting. Several of the fires were deliberately lit. I hardly know what to say.

Life is Disappointment

...So as we left the library, we paused, for just a moment, in the arc of dappled shade formed by its majestic branches...




Oh...Yeah...Right...Nevermind...

PROMPTuesday - Hallway Will-of-a-Wisp

In honour of PROMPTuesday, San Diego Momma provided the words, 'hallway' and 'will-of-a-wisp' by means of inspiration. Since I happen to live with a will-of-a-wisp and I have a hallway, this is the first thing that came into my head.

I am passed in the hallway;

By a breath;

A galloping silence;

A will-of-a-wisp in My Little Pony underpants.

We maneuver awkwardly,

Her grace sporadic at best.

I 'tut' in mock annoyance.

We laugh and jostle,

Amongst the shelves of books.

Then in a moment we are apart,

And away once more.

Grace In Small Things: 7 of 365

1. Discovering (after five and a half years) that this...

...is 20 minutes' drive from our house. I feel a wee bit stupid, really.

2. Sea gull footprints in the sand.

3. Coming home from a particularly shitful day to find the new Ben Lee CD waiting for me.

4. All that fucking business paperwork is dealt with until July. Bite my ass, Depreciation Schedule. You suck cock.

5. I don't think the 'lawn' is going to need mowing this week.

Grace In Small Things: 6 of 365

1. Having the opportunity to appreciate that 31C (88F) is really not that hot. Actually, it feels quite refreshing after a record-breaking three days of greater than 43C (109F) temperatures.

2. Thirty of the best dollars ever spent and not fighting the urge to throw myself, fully clothed into DK's paddle pool.

3. Having cable Internet and the landline phone back after three days. (I love you, Internet. Don't leave me again.)

4. Guinea pig chillin' on an ice block.

5. Exercising on eleven of the last twelve days.