I’m stretching things once again this week for One Word Sunday, where the theme is ‘Olympic’. Could a scattering of rubber bands ever fit the theme?
Visit Debbie’s site using the link above to see other variations on the theme.
Sigh.
I’d just settled down to eat a nice tuna butty when there was a knock at the door. I say knock, but it was more of a powerful hammering. It was so heavy a knock, the entire Mansion shook. I kid you not. I’m sure the bedrock beneath the Catacombs below the Cellar below the Mansion moved slightly. There was also a very loud calling of a name from outside, but I couldn’t make out what it was as the Mansion groaned as it settled down once again.
The rock below the Catacombs is old rock. Not modern stone. Aged. Familiar, though it is, with the rest of the pre-historic landscape that exists there with the interconnecting Lay Lines and Portals and stuff.
Whoever it was at the door wanted an answer, and they pounded once again.
As the staff aren’t here to answer the door, I placed my tuna butty back on the plate, placed the plate on the table, and trudged once again all the way across the Foyer to the Front Door.
Once opened, I found myself facing two people in fancy dress. I presume they were in fancy dress. They were dressed fancy, put it that way. A gruff-looking man and a slender red-haired woman with a string of beads around her neck.
“You aren’t right this time, Fred.” Said the woman, in a very matter of fact tone.
“My apologies, pal,” said the man – to me, not the woman.
And with that, without another word they walked across the Courtyard, and got into a strange clunky-looking car before driving away from the Mansion along the Driveway. The suspension in their car looked shocking as the car seemed to bounce along as it got going.
I closed the door and returned to my tuna butty.
—————————-
Once again, these strange visitors looked very familiar. Click the peephole below to see if you guessed correctly as to whom these visitors were…
The dashing young man called Tom (now, please…)
Decided to have some fun
So he strated to type
But things wereren’t quite right
And he wished he hidn’t begon!
I’ve managed to get myself tangled up in all of these loops. I know there’s a way out somewhere. I’ll keep trying…
Who’s that knocking at the door?
Last night, late on, the doorbell rang. I don’t think any of the staff were on, actually, thinking about it I haven’t seen any of the staff for a while (I must look into that later!), so I had to trudge all the way to the door and answer it myself.
It can be quite a trek across the Foyer, but I made it in one piece this time. The door creaked open, and stood facing me were three people, two women and a man, who looked as thought they’d just arrived from a bygone age.
“Jinkies!” Said the bespectacled woman, “This place is huge, Is it haunted?”
The blond man standing next to her poked her in the ribs. “I apologise for my friend, she’s very inquisitive. No, we wonder if we could ask for your help?”
I told them it really depended on what help they needed, as I was in the Mansion by myself.
The man continued. “We’ve called at that crumbly old looking building right at the bottom of the lane and got no answer.”
“Ah,” I said, “That’d be Old Man Winters’ place. He’s gone away, I believe.”
“I see.” Said the man. “Our van has broken down just by the bend on the lane, and we think it just needs water to cool the engine down some. Could you please fill this bucket?” He pointed to a bucket on the ground between his legs
“Of course,” I replied, trying desperately to remember the way to the Kitchen. “By the bend you say? The dark bend by the gnarled old oak tree?”
“That’s the one, sir!” The man was very polite.
“It isn’t the best place to leave a vehicle unattended there.”
“Oh, no worries – we’ve split up, and left our friend and his dog there. They’re looking after things there.”
“If they aren’t eating all the midnight buffet that is!” The quiet redhead spoke.
“Step inside a moment,” I said waving them in. I’d decided to go to the Bathroom for the water, which was just up the Stairway and along the Landing. As I went up the stairs with the bucket, I noticed the lights flickering on and off again. “Stop it!” I whispered to the banister, hoping the message would somehow get through to its intended recipient and not the trio waiting by the door.
“Jinkies!” I heard the bespectacled young lady say again, just as I filled the bucket in the Bathroom. I then returned to the visitors with the full bucket.
“Thank you, sir!” the man said again. “Actually, is this place haunted?” He asked.
“Parts of it is,” I replied, “but not here in the Foyer. Why do you ask?”
“It’s just my friend here could have sworn the eyes in the portraits on the walls were moving.”
“Oh that!” I exclaimed. “Don’t worry about that – if it isn’t a trick of the light, it’s just a trick of the Mansion.”
I waved the trio off as they crossed the Courtyard, strangely running in a line for some reason, as they headed toward the Driveway that led onto the lane. I closed the door behind me as I walked back into the Mansion and back to the Living Room.
“You…! I said the Mansion. “Behave when we have guests! And there’s no need to roll your eyes”. I noticed one of the portraits on the wall doing that as I walked passed.
I didn’t even get their names, these out of time visitors, but they looked awfully familiar. I’ll have to check the door’s security camera footage to see if it caught a good picture of them.
——
If you don’t already know who the visitors were, click the peephole below to go to the recorded picture within the door’s security footage. Although the clues are all there…
Stars above vanish
As the future changes shape
A new beginning
A quick scribble and jotted words to celebrate the fact that the Brexit saga finally comes to an end. The United Kingdom leaves the European Union at 11pm tonight, 31st January 2020. Although we are still kind of in it until the end of the year, with little say on the matter, today’s the day we officially go it alone. Again.
We’re gone. Now it’s time to move forwards and show what a great nation we are. Squabbles permitting.
Oi, Britain!!!
Honestly.
I’m in the middle of a blogging break while I recover from one condition, and now find myself compelled to write a blog post about another situation. Thankfully, as I’m writing the post the situation isn’t as bad as it could have been, but a second earlier or later and there could have been no blog post.
I’m addressing this post to the drivers of the UK, but in effect it could apply to drivers anywhere, especially if said drivers lose control of all common sense when they get behind the wheel of their vehicle.
I’m sorry to say, drivers of Britain, but you are the worst. You bring down the concept of being human. You lose the ability of logical mind, and allow stupidity to control both yourself and the vehicle you are meant to be driving.
Tonight I was hit by a vehicle as I crossed a road. Luckily for me, it was only a bump with a very loud thud, although I doubt that the ‘human’ behind the wheel heard it over their ridiculously loud thumping music they were playing.
As I crossed the road, I noticed the black 4X4 turn into the road I was three-quarters of the way across. I thought to myself ‘that’s a bit close’, as I noticed it turning into the wrong side of the road (the correct side of the road was now behind me and I was way passed this… oh, and before you ask, the vehicle wasn’t there when I started to cross), and then the vehicle hit me. I stepped back into the road to see if the ‘driver’ had realised they had actually hit another human being, once I regained control of my senses after saying to myself “Did that actually just happen?”, and I think they did stop momentarily before turning into another road and driving off. As it was a residential street, I thought the vehicle may have parked somewhere, but it was nowhere to be seen when I had a quick look. No surprise there.
It’s actually no surprise I was hit by the vehicle thinking about it. Another driver, the other week, drove straight through regardless as I was crossing on a zebra crossing at a Tesco supermarket carpark. One vehicle to my right had stopped to allow me to cross, but the buffoon to the left turned out of one of the lanes and seemed oblivious to the fact that there was a crossing even there, let alone somebody using it.
I’ve seen vehicles overtaking queues of traffic on the wrong side of the road, on the wrong side of central reservations… speeding drivers narrowly missing being involved in collisions as they race regardless around winding roads – again on the wrong side of the road… I had a truck overtake me as I was driving on my right, only to turn left in front of me into the road I was approaching… I had a woman try to drive her car through my old car (literally, she rammed her car into the front of mine) as she wanted to turn left at a roundabout when she was in the wrong (right-turn) lane, but didn’t indicate and just decided to go. She was extremely un-lady lake when I ferociously honked my horn at her… motorcyclists undertaking and overtaking at any given opportunity… cyclists at night dressed in black without lights on, some even sending text messages on their mobiles whilst peddling – I mean wobbling – into the path of traffic… I’ve seen drivers swing their doors wide open without checking if anything (cyclist or car) was approaching… I’ve seen drivers reversing the wrong way along one way streets (so their car was facing the right way)… I’ve had a ‘professional’ coach driver sound their horn at me as they sailed passed me at speed when I was stopping at a red traffic light… on the news recently, there were images of impatient drivers driving the wrong way on a motorway to avoid a traffic hold up… and this list doesn’t even touch the surface.
I’m a driver. I know how frustrating it can be. I know it’s easy to make a mistake. But taking the time to think about the driving, rather than just blindly making the vehicle go, could save a whole lot of hassle. Being a little more patient, and courteous, both with yourself and the other ‘humans’ on the road, could save a lot of stress. Taking time to look carefully, using the roads correctly, allowing others time to do their things, would actually make the driving experience a little more pleasurable.
And this could also prevent YOU from killing somebody on the road.
Fortunately, not all drivers are like this – it may just be my turn to see them on the roads – but if you drive any way like in the examples above, or equally as stupidly, just think. Take a step back. Give yourself time.
Hopefully, British roads will become much better in the near future… that’s what I’m looking out for now. It’s a shame that a ‘near-death experience’ has prompted this post, but if this post encourages just one person to make a concerned effort to become a better driver, then writing the post has been worth it.
Why bother?
What’s the point in doing all this blogging?
What purpose does it serve?
For a couple of visits a day, why spend hours creating a different blog post every day? Is it worth it?
Those are the questions, amongst others, that went through my head when I read a recent comment over on Splodge and Splatter, one of my other blogs. I’m sure the question wasn’t intended in the way that I first took it, but it certainly made me think of these questions.
Several years ago, another blogger (who I no longer follow but is still active in the Blogosphere) asked me if I would consider posting less frequently. The blogger in question rarely visited my blog beforehand, so my posting frequency shouldn’t really have concerned her. I gave her my reasons as to why I post as often as I do, and she never responded. Apart from seeing her face dotted around Blogland every now and then I haven’t heard from her since. This was the first time I asked myself the question, Why Bother?
I enjoy blogging. I enjoy writing and being creative. That’s why.
I may not be the world’s best writer / artist / photographer, but I don’t see that as a reason to stop. I keep on keeping on, because with each post / picture / painting there’s just a chance I may get better.
There’s a chance that I may provide a spark of inspiration to somebody else who feels they aren’t good enough.
I may just give someone a smile when they really need one.
I may, however inadvertently, provide an answer to someone else’s stumbling block with something they are working on.
I like the connections I get through blogging. Connecting with people all over the world, who I would never have the chance to otherwise ‘meet’. I always say ‘as and when’ when it comes to visiting my blog, because I am aware of my limitations, and I’m also aware that there are millions of other (most likely better) blogs out there and there simply isn’t enough time to visit everyone.
I don’t have time to visit all of the blogs I follow either, but it isn’t personal. None of it is. It’s just the way it is.
I apologise if you’ve stumbled across one of my rubbish posts, or a boring post, or a rushed post, or a silly post, or a post you weren’t expecting. The post was where my creativity was at at that time. Not one of us can be perfect every time.
I’m grateful if you’ve enjoyed a good post (or a bad one!). The comments and likes I receive are received with gratitude, and help me to Feel Good, which is my motto and has been since the very first day of this blog.
My intention, regardless of my post, is to try and share that Feel Good factor. In blogging, I believe we should all try to share a little light around the world, whether through stories, jokes, photos, pictures, music or any other part of the creative spectrum.
It’s too easy to get bogged down with all the darkness and negativity that is constantly being bombarded upon the world. Balance that with the light, and the world isn’t half as bad as we are made to believe it is.
Why bother?
That’s why.
Blogging is far more than just posting, but the posts help.
Synchronicity Strikes!!!
The above grainy images are actually one image. And truth be told, they are only grainy in the above image, not in their original formats. I’ve included links later in the post so you can check out the images in their crispness.
Let me explain a little.
As you may be aware (well, if you’re new to blogging you may not be!) my blog visits have slipped into that sparse wilderness of late… they are just behind my replying to comments, which by all accounts are about to fall off the end of the world – although I will ensure that doesn’t happen, and I WILL REPLY TO ALL COMMENTS SOON… the caps there are to drum the thought into my head, I’m not shouting it at you!
I’ve just called into the reader, and found the latest post from Elaine there. You remember Elaine – we had the four painting blog challenge going on the other week – and I simply had to like her post and leave a comment. The posts I like appear in the sidebar over there – it should be on the right, but it could be in a totally different place if you are viewing the blog from a different device – and that is where my latest experience of Blogging Synchronicity occurred.
It also may not be in the same format for very long, depending upon the next posts that I like, hence I’ve added another screenshot (which should be to the left this time, device permitting!) which shows the latest posts that I’ve liked.
The posts I’m waffling on about (yes, thank you, I am getting to the point!) are the top two… the lady and the gentleman looking onward into the great beyond.
The first painting is Elaine’s, which she has titled The End Of The World. The second image has been selected by Hélène from Willow Poetry for her weekly What Do You See? blogging challenge. My response to Hélène’s challenge is here. Written on the wall in Hélène’s image are the words ‘The Beginning is Near’!
What struck me with the two images is how similar yet how totally different the two are, and they have ended up side by side in my sidebar. By pure chance. And only for now. They will soon go out of synch, then back in synch, then out of synch again for the next so many likes… but there’s the next issue. Look closely and you will see currently a quirky quirk with this theme… and after the top two, the other squares in my Liked Posts widget start to slip apart from each other.
One’s female, the other male. One’s daytime, the other night. One’s open, the other blocked. One refers to the end the other the beginning. The colours, the paintings, are totally different from each other, yet seeing them side by side has sparked a major feeling of synchronicity within me… and synchronicity to me always means right place right time. And that makes me Feel Good!
I love experiencing synchronistic events – even those that are days apart. Although I do tend to spot the odd connection or two at times this type of Connection is magical.
Synchronistic Blogging… have you experienced it recently?
Currently, the tally for the Love Referendum stands at:
Thankfully, it’s the last day of the Referendum today. The scoreboard is now broken, and I’ve channelled that many famous characters from history that I no longer know who I am.
Today’s channelling is from a newsreader who only a few people may know or recognise.
The votes are now cast
And the results are counted
Love is a good thing
Kay Tunrara votes: YES
Kay Tunrara says: “What started out as a closely contested race, soon saw one side taking a clear lead. My vote brings the final tally to YES: 11; NO: 5. Personally speaking, we can’t have a world without love, it’s just ridiculous to even think that way, so there was no option other than for me to vote yes, love is a good thing.
“’Tom Merriman’ who brought about the referendum in the first place wasn’t available for comment at the time of channelling, but it is a well known fact that he doesn’t think highly of St Valentine’s Day and it is thought this is the reasoning behind the vote.
“We in the newsroom are only glad that the vote wasn’t made available to the population of the world, as over seven billion posts like these would have been a bit much, and those together with votes from all of the characters from history would have had serious repercussions on the internet. And besides, the scoreboard was totally inadequate to accommodate that number of votes.
“So, in conclusion: Love wins!”
*****
‘Tom Merriman’ says: “Ugh! Curses! What happened there? Maybe next year.”
*****
Disclaimer: Obviously, this has been a work of fiction, and any views contained herein are those of the characters who have been channelled through the ether at the time of writing.
*****
This is the end.
*****
Of this series. The blog continues tomorrow.
*****
The tally for the longest referendum in history now stands at:
That’s nine votes for love being a good thing, and five votes that disagree. OK, it isn’t the largest referendum, by any means (and it may not even be the longest either – however that research can wait for another day!), but there appears to be a clear leader forming… and with only one more day remaining after today, I can’t see anything changing too dramatically – unless the vote is thrown open to the whole of the United Kingdom. Then again, that too may not make too much of a difference.
So. I wonder just how Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love, will vote? Remember anything can happen in this Love Referendum – look at Cupid’s vote on the first day, back at the turn of the century.
A feeling within
That is apparent without
For those who notice
Venus votes: YES
Venus says: “Of course love is a good thing, child. It is the best thing, the best feeling, the warmth and the passion that flows through every single living thing. It is its own reward. It really needs no words as it is what it is. Be more open to love, and be more loving, and you will see.”
The final referendum vote is tomorrow.
The Love Referendum is still going strong. The results up to yesterday’s vote appear above.
Today, we get a vote from possibly the grumpiest character in existence. I wonder how she will vote? (Actually, to be fair, she isn’t the grumpiest character in existence… she was probably just a tad cranky when I caught up with her!)
“What do you want now?” She asked as she opened the door. I explained I was there for her vote, as we’d arranged. “Vote? Vote? You want another vote? From me?” I asked what she meant by another vote… but she didn’t say. I think it’s likely that with all of the time travelling back and to I’ve been doing lately, I’ve probably, at some point in the future, gone back and visited her before my visit now. It gets very complicated at times.
I love my pet dog
I love all my pet dog’s friends
And I love to eat
Mother Hubbard votes: NO
Mother Hubbard says: “And before you say anythin’, no I don’t eat my pet dog and her friends. She goes out, an’ comes back with ‘er friends. I ‘ave to feed ‘em, so I do. They eat my food. All my food. Me cupboards are always bare. Always. It’s because I love my dog and her friends. It’s the love that makes me do it. That’s not good. Now get out.”
Like I said; grumpy.
There will be another vote along tomorrow.
After my jaunt back to Ancient Rome, I’m now back in the late Seventies again. That’s the 1970s, to avoid any confusion. I’m meeting legendary Glamrock singer Rigal Sirius, of all people.
I always wanted to know if he was Rigal, as in Nigel, or Rigal, as in Regal.
“Either, man…” he advised. So I’m still none the wiser. That aside, I was really there to ask him to vote in my Love Referendum.
So far, the tally (which doesn’t include today’s vote) stands at:
It’s like a feelin’
This thing called love – a feelin’
This thing called love’s good
Rigal Sirius votes: YES
Rigal Sirius says: “Love, man. It’s love. Look at Sandy and Danny. Look at Mulwinnie White and Mr Clark. Look at my band… my Starlets. Feel the love, man. Feel it! It’s astronomical.”
Another vote will be along tomorrow.
Tom
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